One president of the USA supported a negotiation process that allowed the rest of the world once again to begin a constructive dialogue with Iran.
The next one dismisses that deal and supports a negotiation process that sees Israel and a number of the Gulf States align. A significant step forward apparently.
Both can be considered as positive moves.
What strikes me as shocking is that for whatever reason, one was pursued at the cost of the other.
Of course if you have read even a tiny little bit of the history involved it is blatantly obvious that the political maneuvering involved in these negotiations is not really about finding a long term solution; this is about power and money.
It is too simplistic to say that the game is about oil. There are alliances at state level and alliances at family levels. There are very rich people involved who appear to have not one consideration for the reality that their games have consequences that lead to the continued oppression and deaths of a great many people.
International trade between business entities seems to be no more complicated than dealing with your neighbour. I've done business over multiple years with a huge variety of organisations from almost every part of the world. Some of these negotiations have been difficult and complex, but almost everyone has led to a successful outcome for both parties and an ongoing and positive relationship.
Diplomacy should not be treated as a game where there are winners and losers. Diplomacy is far too important to be left to those who's skills in the area are snakes and ladders when we need chess players.
International affairs should be out side of the normal short term volatility of national politics. When so much of our species lives in conditions of poverty and/or oppression it is morally abhorrent that any one person or one group of people should be allowed to make decisions, for their own gains, that will have medium and long term negative affects on the citizens of other nations.
We need to support and empower international organisations like the UN, like the WHO. And we should proactively encourage other nations to work proactively with these organisations. We should treat with extreme caution anyone who seeks to undermine or negate the work of those entities that we put in place to improve our international ties.