Thoughts: Political 10/2

The United States withdrawal from the Iran deal, and the re-initiation of sanctions, coupled with the President's “Every Nation for Itself” (otherwise titled, “America Above All”) United Nations speech, has greatly degraded US hegemony (supposedly, the President's singular focus), in the form of a separate payment system created by the EU, China, and Russia. Perhaps the President's attempts to pressure China are worthwhile, regardless of the cost. Perhaps, past administrations have been too afraid of the pain, but sometimes pain is necessary for progress.

But if the President is correct that China is a direct, existential threat, he is completely wrong in the belief that the global systems are rigged against the US. The US created and instituted the system, composed of NATO, NAFTA, the WTO, the International Criminal Court, and the UN. Each of these buttresses US Hegemony, and allows the United States of America to fashion the world in its image. Each one benefits the United States more than any other nation, because at the core, their interests are the United States' interests.

And worst of all (aside from looking weak, whiny, petty, and a perjurer on the global stage) is the President's decision to attack and enrage many nations simultaneously with trade wars. If one seeks to contain an enemy, and let's assume China is the enemy of the United States, one doesn't succeed by driving everyone else to the enemy's side. If the President makes signing trade deals unpalatable, unrequited nations will sign them with China. If the United States acts like a bully, its former allies will abandon it.

Even if the United States decides it doesn't believe in alliances, other nations may not dispose of theirs. If the US convinces everyone it doesn't desire allies, those nations will find someone else to ally with.

If the US wants to disregard the laws of the global community, it will be that much harder to convince rouge nations, or emerging superpowers, to follow them, and impossible to condemn anyone based on any ideal, except the putrid platitude of America First.

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