<
https://theconversation.com/most-of-the-world-has-long-feared-us-power-now-its-allies-do-too-249826>
"When a new US president takes office, his first order of business is usually
to reassure America’s allies and warn its enemies. However, Donald Trump is
doing things differently. It seems his goal is to strike fear into the heart
not of America’s foes, but rather its friends.
American presidents have traditionally seen the country’s network of allies as
a “force multiplier” – something that magnifies American power and applies it
more effectively. A broad range of allies means trading partners, military
bases and diplomatic support in international institutions. According to this
line of reasoning, it is in America’s own interests to defend and support its
allies – the benefits outweigh the cost.
Trump, by contrast, views allies both as competitors and burdens. He thinks
they are too reliant on American military power to defend themselves, and that
their economic relationship with the US makes them rich at the expense of
American workers. He wants US allies, particularly in Europe, to spend more of
their own money on defence and to buy more goods from the US.
He also seems even more willing than in his first term to deploy America’s
formidable tools of coercion to make this happen. His widespread threats of
tariffs, for instance, are designed to force countries to go along with his
wishes, including in non-economic aspects of the relationship. He is also
threatening to use economic and military force in alarming ways, such as to
seize control of Canada, Greenland and the Panama Canal.
The result is a world in which American allies can no longer rely on the US to
be a reliable partner. They may increasingly have to fend for themselves
against not just their traditional foes, but also a predatory Washington."
Via Violet Blue’s
Threat Model: The View From Here
https://www.patreon.com/posts/view-from-here-122307299
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
