This is a fair and reasonable summary of the consequences of Trump’s approach to diplomacy. What I find truly troubling is the failure of both US institutions/corporations and its broader population to understand this, or even care.
All true. I suspect there’s a risky dynamic at work: mass opinion does not make use of a spirit level. It can swing freely once dislodged. Here there was always a deposit of underlying anti-Americanism in parts of the Left, and in smaller bits of the Right. Whatever the objective factors restraining such movement, now that Trump has set foreign opinion in motion, in this country it may well not come to a halt at a point of wary balance but slide on from mild disappointment, through bruised amour propre, unemotional but determined caution, indifference tinged with resentment, towards and then even settled in frank and overt hostility.
Great article, Philip, as always. Has Europe any effective levers to pull in negotiating with the US, until it becomes more self-sufficient in the ways you specify, and hence become much more assertive over time?
Thank you John..yes - trade still matters and Europe is the most valuable market of US producers of goods and services. As for all the US bases - the Pentagon insists the military needs most of them
This is a fair and reasonable summary of the consequences of Trump’s approach to diplomacy. What I find truly troubling is the failure of both US institutions/corporations and its broader population to understand this, or even care.
Very good. Is there nothing that Trump can’t destroy?
All true. I suspect there’s a risky dynamic at work: mass opinion does not make use of a spirit level. It can swing freely once dislodged. Here there was always a deposit of underlying anti-Americanism in parts of the Left, and in smaller bits of the Right. Whatever the objective factors restraining such movement, now that Trump has set foreign opinion in motion, in this country it may well not come to a halt at a point of wary balance but slide on from mild disappointment, through bruised amour propre, unemotional but determined caution, indifference tinged with resentment, towards and then even settled in frank and overt hostility.
John
Interesting thought - I fear you may well be right
Great article, Philip, as always. Has Europe any effective levers to pull in negotiating with the US, until it becomes more self-sufficient in the ways you specify, and hence become much more assertive over time?
Thank you John..yes - trade still matters and Europe is the most valuable market of US producers of goods and services. As for all the US bases - the Pentagon insists the military needs most of them
The worse United States gets, the sooner most of those countries that host US bases are going to be telling the United States to get the fuck out!
As someone from the UK I'm amazed we haven't done this yet, or stopped sharing intelligence. We need to be treating the US like Russia or China now.
The worst humiliation is Iran setting now the conditions to reopen Hormuz, that is de facto to end the war.....
Absolutely!