4 ms·
US has never done anything in foreign affairs for free.
by rbg246 6y ago
US has never done anything in foreign affairs for free.
- readarticle 6y agoQuite right. The US guaranteed the security of allies and their trade in exchange for opposition to the soviets, who no longer exist. The current post soviet (& fledgling post ME) situation actually is relatively “free” though, there is an absolutely massive amount of inertia in place.
- natmaka 6y agoThe Pentagon's New Map (Thomas P.M. Barnett) offers interesting insights. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pentagon's_New_Map https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pentagon's_New_Map
- 082349872349872 6y agoBarnett's #4 (war in the context of "everything else") is straight outta Clausewitz. Interesting to see how he differs from 1984[1]: Oceania is split across Old Core, New Core, and Disconnected. Eurasia is split across Old Core and New Core. Eastasia is split across New Core and Disconnected. Disputed territories are contained within Disconnected. Guess I'll track his trichotomy to see if it has any better explanatory power. [1] roughly (in our world I think Eastasia is smaller): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nations_of_Nineteen_Eighty-Four#/media/File:1984_fictitious_world_map_v2_quad.svg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nations_of_Nineteen_Eighty-Fou...
- koheripbal 6y agoNations never do anything for "free". Nations act in their own self-interest. That is the nature of politics.