Diplomacy was the only viable option for Ramaphosa, says Prof. Stremlau on US terror alert

PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa’s comments that the United States terror alert was ‘unfortunate’ is not a sign of a weak leader being bullied by the Americans, but rather a well-considered diplomatic language in the face of growing domestic pressure, Internationa Relations analyst Professor John Streamlau told Inside Politics on Thurday.

Last week, Ramaphosa told the media that it was unfortunate that the US government issued a terror alert without discussing it with the South African government.

In an interview with Inside Politics, Stremlau said: “Both Ramaphosa and US President Joe Biden are trying to reassure critics domestically that they are doing all they can to protect their citizens in an era of terrorism, while trying to advance their nation’s interests in an increasingly diverse and volatile world.”

“These two leaders apparently had good meeting in Washington in September. They both have an interest in maintaining relations that benefit both, while still