In 1965, Tony Bennett recorded an album that included a song titled “If I Ruled the World,” the second verse of which went like this:

“If I ruled the world,
Every man would be as free as a bird,
Every voice would be a voice to be heard,
Take my word we would treasure each day that occurred.”

The ‘60s were a decade of youthful exuberance and hope for the future . . . a time when authors, lyricists, poets and singers wrote and sang of freedom, peace, love and brotherhood . . . a time when John F. Kennedy spoke of Camelot and a “New Frontier”, and Lyndon Johnson carried forward JFK’s ideals with his “Great Society,” focused on economic equality, civil rights, improved education, and healthcare for everyone.

Perhaps we were a little naive, a bit unrealistic in our idealism. Camelot wasn’t real; but democracy was, and respect was, and love of country was. We weren’t perfect; but we were united in a fight against totalitarianism, against the evils of autocracy, against those who would destroy the greatest form of government yet devised by mankind.

And we were joined with our allies in protecting freedom throughout the world by means of an organization known as the United Nations. In 1965, it was just 20 years old; today, it has served to keep the world a safer place for 80 years. But now, there is one who would destroy it.

Not satisfied with his horrific invasion of Venezuela, or his mania to “own” Greenland and absorb Canada, Donald Trump has now formed a “Board of Peace,” whose charter would seek to “solidify peace in the Middle East,” and also to “embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conflict.” [Julian Borger, The Guardian, January 19, 2026.]

Initially comprised primarily of American government officials and private industry leaders, with Trump himself serving as the inaugural chairman and having authority over membership decisions, invitations have also gone out to the heads of a number of governments around the globe — many of them being authoritarian regimes that have no more interest in peace than Trump himself does. Indeed, several are already members of, or applicants for membership in, Vladimir Putin’s brainchild, BRICS.

On Monday, in a personal exchange with a friend after reading about this so-called “Board of Peace,” I mused: “Is he [Trump] trying to form an alternative UN? Or is he just living in an alternate universe?” And my friend wrote back: “Both?”

Invitations have, of course, also gone out to America’s traditional allies. And now European sources have said that the mandate of the Board is expanding, and — echoing the concerns expressed between my friend and me — that “Trump appears to see it as a vehicle to resolve other conflicts and shape international events, according to several European officials.” [Ania Nussbaum, Josh Wingrove and Samy Adghirni, Bloomberg, January 20, 2026.]

A United Nations of Autocrats.

No one can yet predict whether this latest vainglorious notion of Trump’s will actually materialize. Despite his assertions that he has made the U.S. the “most respected” nation in the world, the opposite is true. I can’t imagine our traditional allies being taken in by anything he proposes at this point . . . and least of all if Russia, China, Belarus, or any of the other authoritarian regimes decide to accept their invitations.

But what is becoming apparent is that, in his drive to undermine — and possibly destroy — NATO and the UN itself, Trump is seeking to offer the world an alternative “peace-keeping” body, with himself at the helm. He knows his current term as president is finite. But why settle for being “king” of just one country for a few years, when he could conceivably rule the world for the rest of his life?

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
1/21/26