‘Trump of Arabia’

No, Donald Trump could not be for the Arabs what T.E. Lawrence was during the First World War. Lawrence was instrumental in the 'creation' of today's Saudi royalty. The world read his amazing story and attached the appellation 'Lawrence of Arabia' to his name. Since then he has had a permanent place in the national history of Saudi Arabia.

Can we really compare the legendary Lawrence of Arabia with Donald Trump after the latter's pompous visit to Saudi Arabia? And his 'awkward' sword dance with the hosts? Could the mighty president of the USA do anything big enough to blur the image of the 'loser' Lawrence and make his way to the history books of Saudi Arabia, to be known as 'Trump of Arabia?'

No. Not really. Lawrence had won the hearts and minds of the Arabs with his extraordinary exploits as a cunning British military officer who turned thousands of rustic Arab Bedouins, comprising robbers, thugs and thieves, into a fighting force, and thereafter, with his motley band of guerrillas, rode down the sand dunes to outwit the more disciplined Ottoman army. The Turks failed to understand his battle strategy and started to lose every battle despite being in possession of machine guns and modern rifles.

Lawrence had totally uprooted the railroad of the Turks that extended right from Damascus to the heart of Medina in Hijaz. Lawrence organised these attacks to upset the food and water supply lines for the Ottoman soldiers. Arabs watched in appreciation as he dynamited one rail engine after another. His painstaking work of the demolition of the railway lines made it possible for the British Navy to take control of every important Red Sea port,which ultimately helped the allied forces to end World War I.
Before going any further, let me cite from history a little bit about Lawrence for our young readers:

"Thomas Edward Lawrence (16 August 1888 — 19 May 1935) was a British archaeologist, military officer, diplomat, and writer. He was renowned for his liaison role during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign and the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during the First World War. The breadth and variety of his activities and associations, and his ability to describe them vividly in writing, earned him international fame as Lawrence of Arabia — a title used for the 1962 film based on his wartime activities.
"Soon after the outbreak of war he volunteered for the British Army and was stationed in Egypt. In 1916, he was sent to Arabia on an intelligence mission and quickly became involved with the Arab Revolt, serving, along with other British officers, as a liaison to the Arab forces. Working closely with Emir Faisal, a leader of the revolt, he participated in and sometimes led military activities against the Ottoman armed forces, culminating in the capture of Damascus in October 1918.

"Lawrence's public image resulted in part from the sensationalised reporting of the Arab revolt by American journalist Lowell Thomas, as well as from Seven Pillars of Wisdom."

Donald Trump went to Saudi Arabia in a luxury airplane, came to the palace of the king in a luxury limousine and slept in a luxury suite. He went there not for the love of the people of Saudi Arabia. He went there to fulfill his own mission — getting the Saudis to sign billion dollar arms deals. He went there to take back some of the money the US has been paying them in the form of crude oil bills. His only physical exercise in the whole affair was picking up the pen and affixing his signature on some papers.

On the other hand, Lawrence rode on uncomfortable camel backs under the scorching sun, endured thirst, hunger and sandstorms to complete his mission. On many occasions, he came close to death and yet nothing could deter him from doing what he was assigned to do. He freed the Arabs from the clutches of the Ottoman rulers and gave them a kingdom. He earned the title 'Lawrence of Arabia' through hard work.