Isn't that pretty much what happened when the USSR crumbled ? That collapse peeled away an outer ring of subjugated nations. My armchair analysis tells me that

Isn't that pretty much what happened when the USSR crumbled ? That collapse peeled away an outer ring of subjugated nations. My armchair analysis tells me that there might be coming another round of peripheral nation(alitie)s peeling away. Not such a bad thing. And let the center - the Burkina-Faso-with-nukes - keep the comfort of their nukes, if it's what it takes to keep them from actually using those weapons in fear or in anger.