Ambassadors to Washington warn that the GOP-Democratic divide is endangering America’s national security.
When I asked the European ambassador to talk to me about America’s deepening partisan divide, I expected a polite brushoff at best. Foreign diplomats are usually loath to discuss domestic U.S. politics.
Instead, the ambassador unloaded for an hour, warning that America’s poisonous politics are hurting its security, its economy, its friends and its standing as a pillar of democracy and global stability.
The U.S. is a “fat buffalo trying to take a nap” as hungry wolves approach, the envoy mused. “I can hear those Champagne bottle corks popping in Moscow — like it’s Christmas every fucking day.”
As voters cast ballots in the Iowa caucuses Monday, many in the United States see this year’s presidential election as a test of American democracy. But, in a series of conversations with a dozen current and former diplomats, I sensed that to many of our friends abroad, the U.S. is already failing that test.
It’s not about what I’d like I’m just going off current trends. Countries are abandoning the dollar and forming coalitions with neighboring countries due to covid and the fatigue of being beholden to the US. The fact that a US election has that much influence over other countries is problematic in general.
Imagine a presidential election is Bulgaria having this much influence over your government and thinking that’s fine.
If you’re speaking specifically about BRICS, they can’t even agree upon being in a coalition together without dick measuring. Good luck trying to replace the dollar when the countries trying to do so can’t agree on which currency to replace it with. Let alone fighting over who should be in “charge.”
Maybe in twenty years things will be different. Right now, if America steps back, Putin steps up. I’m not trying to say that’s the best thing, I’m looking at what is.
It’s not about America stepping back or Russia and China stepping forward. It’s other countries learning that they should rely more on themselves and their immediate neighbors instead of foreign governments
That’s kind of what the UN was supposed to do.
It’s hilarious to me how every wonk in the US keeps warning everyone of Russian propaganda, and then unironically thinks Putin is powerful enough to fill a power vacum the size of the US of A.
Serious question.
Say the US actually breaks up into ten smaller nations. How do you see it playing out?
That’s… a wild question, and would depend heavily on where the lines were, and what exactly “breaks up” means. But however it happens, if the dollar-based system is to go down, the only actors I see capable of taking it’s place are China and maybe the EU. The only lever Russia has left in this regard is BRICS.