Reply To: M A G A! …and also the free world.

[Siderite]

Anyway, the outcome of all this is that the USA has torched any reputation of it as being a reputable ally. They’re done. In time they will wake up to the fact that all cooperation and soft power is gone. I have been following the opinions of people across the political spectrum in Europe and a common theme is that we can’t trust the USA anymore. Including among Americanophiles, not just the usual ‘anti-imperialists’ who have seen the USA as the great Satan of unabashed capitalism and world interference. Myself included. The one thing Trump had right is that Europe have been too reliant on the USA for security, but there are ways to do it and this isn’t it. It goes beyond withdrawing support for Europe, but into outright building ties with hostile powers with anti-democratic values. Vance’s lectures are hollow and pathetic when they want to buddy up to the nation of window falling dissidents. Now we have Vance insulting the UK’s army. He didn’t mean that he said, yet it was easily implied from the message. The UK and France are the only ones who fit what he said. If it was a misunderstanding it was because of his own idiocy.

To be fair, the decline of US influence predates Trump. Obama’s foreign policy harmed the US’s standing and the farce in Afghanistan was worse, which Biden owns. However, this administration is a torpedo to any trust and it’s hard to see how it can recover. Even when Trump is gone, even if the next administration is Democrat, there will be many allies who will be wary that relations will have to be cautious because 4 years later we could get some other bully who sees alliances as something to exploit and run over. The Americans whining about what they get from alliances are going to find out what it’s like to be alone or trying to ally with dictatorships, while pretending to care so much about democracy and free speech.

It pains me to say it because I have valued having a free USA as an ally and saw them as the best alternative, but there’s only so much nonsense that can be tolerated. The Brexiters were right that sovereignty is an important thing, but my position was that pooling that for trade had benefits that outweighed when it came to the EU. However, when it comes to the USA waltzing in to Europe trying to decide for us what is best when it comes to our interests in national security, they can sod off. We have our own sovereignty. Germany and others are really ramping up their defence now (thank goodness Merz is going to be chancellor and Scholz is going), France too and we should follow suit. The independence from reliance on the USA is vital now and if that means US bases going, so be it. If this makes me a USexiter, fine, it’s the best way for the UK’s interests given the USA doesn’t care about its allies.

The one winner all this, unfortunately, will be China. Hard for me to see anything but a Chinese superpower now.