Two days before the Republican National Convention, where the party delegates were set to officially nominate their presidential candidate, Trump narrowly escaped death at a campaign rally. A bullet grazed his ear, killing one person and injuring Trump and three others.

The 20-year-old assailant, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was killed at the scene, leaving no opportunity to interrogate him and shed light on the assassination attempt. It was also revealed that there was a significant security lapse, as the building and rooftop from which the assailant fired were not secured, allowing him to easily target Trump.

COMPARING BIDEN AND TRUMP'S POLICIES

When comparing the international policies and strategies of President Joe Biden and Trump, it becomes challenging to dismiss the assassination attempt as merely a "madman" act attributed to a lone 20-year-old gunman.

Biden supports anti-Russian and NATO expansionist policies, fueling the war in Ukraine and striving to weaken Russia economically, politically, and strategically. His policies aim to establish U.S. dominance in global political, economic, and military spheres.

In contrast, Trump opposes NATO's expansion, believing it provokes Russia. He advocates for ending the war between Russia and Ukraine and criticizes the vilification of Russia. Trump often claims that no wars occurred during his presidency and emphasizes prioritizing America over global interests.

While Trump cannot be described as an anti-imperialist politician and remains a representative of the capitalist order, his populist, chauvinistic, conservative, and discriminatory rhetoric in domestic politics, his tendency to distort facts, and his unstatesmanlike behavior are all subject to criticism. Yet, the assassination attempt on Trump must be considered when evaluating the U.S. elections and the future of the world.

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S DILEMMA

If the Democratic Party had fielded a candidate like Bernie Sanders, who advocates for economic and social justice domestically and criticizes U.S. imperialism in foreign policy, the U.S. elections could have been assessed within a different paradigm.

Unfortunately, Biden represents a continuation of the flawed system built on the military-industrial complex, the CIA, and the Pentagon, akin to former Republican presidents Ronald Reagan, George Bush, and George W. Bush. He perpetuates the "Cold War," fabricates imaginary enemies, and possesses the capacity to lead the world into a third world war, posing a threat to global security.

It is tragic that the U.S., a nation that achieved a significant revolution in 1776, even before the French Revolution of 1789, overthrowing monarchy, feudalism, and theocracy, cannot produce a decent presidential candidate in the 21st century. The fact that the nation was stuck between Biden and Trump until Biden withdrew from the race, and the uncertainty of whether the Democratic Party can field a candidate different from Biden against Trump, is itself a significant event.

Without understanding the historical, political, economic, and geo-strategic reasons behind this situation, it is impossible to make a sound assessment of the future of the U.S. and the world or to provide a positive forecast for the future.