Originally Posted by BlueScholar

I appreciate that the reflex to invoke the victimization complex is easier than critical thinking, but just because he is mentioned doesn't mean it's an attack on him or his policies. Is it controversial to say that POTUS plays a large part in shaping the course of international relations around the world? In case you haven't been paying attention to the news, American citizens have been used as bargaining chips by many groups and many governments, for quite some time. And yes, it has happened under blue presidents too. Off the top of my head I can think of recent examples in Russia, North Korea, Nigeria, Iran, and Pakistan. Many sketchy governments will happily imprison an American and hang on to them until they are ransomed. Do you think China would ever do such a dastardly thing as hold Americans for the flimsiest of reasons to extract certain concessions or prisoner swaps? Do you think that the current political climate might influence whether or not a country would take a step like that? Do you think the current policies might shift that political climate one way or another? If someone can't understand basic international politics, they really shouldn't be leaving the country, lest they end up starring on Locked Up Abroad.