In Foreign Affairs, May Edition, A. Wess Mitchell argues that America needs to consolidate its defence strategy. What I find irrational is that there is an underlying tone to the article that suggests that the United States has an ‘imperative’ that it should ‘rule others’ economically and militarily.
Actually, what has been happening progressively is that the United States became self-interested, weaker, and greedy, while its adversaries, most notably China has grown its economy, manufacturing, green technologies, AI, computer technologies and with it, — its economy and its influence, particularly in relation to soft power.
With an economy that rivals America’s, and rapidly outpacing America’s, China has been growing both its influence and strengthening its relationships around the globe.
America’s mismanagement, particularly in light of its present administration, is in thinking that it has influence over its ‘former’ allies.
And I say former with real intent.
At a time when America requires allies, it has set the bridges to those allies on fire, willfully and with malice. At the same time, America’s economic circumstances are such that to ‘rebuild’ America’s military, particularly its naval assets, the now 40 trillion U.S. debt is making that probability more likely a pipe dream.
Especially so when investors see the U.S. flailing and failing in the Gulf.
While retrenching was supposed to be the philosophy, enabling the U.S. to focus on hemispheric control, what has transpired, based on America’s actions against its former allies, it that not only does America face opposition in that regard, but it is now considered the ‘enemy’ by those populations and governments it most needs to influence.
America’s Hegemonic Actions Have Destroyed its Influence
America has lost virtually all of its ‘soft power’ by making a variety of actions that alienated and angered its former allies and partners. By cutting off foreign aid, by denigrating former allies, by ignoring international trade law, all while the U.S. erroneously believed that by forcing NATO to increase spending for its members to 5% of GDP, that it would increase America’s control. Meanwhile, what it has actually achieved is for Europe, Canada, the U.K., Australia, NZ, Japan and the Republic of Korea to align together ‘against’ American interests, both in terms of military procurement, and in terms of economic alliances.
Canada and the EU are now committed to spending their resources internally and America’s tariffs have effectively created a situation where the world’s middle powers are building a new economic framework (GTO) that will lead to dedollarization combined with the exclusion of the United States.
Not only that, but American treasuries are no longer valued.
America’s massive debt, and the rapidity with which it is expanding, means that for investors, other nations who possess trillions of American negotiable bonds and treasuries, holding U.S. debt is a dubious proposition. Not to mention that investors see more liabilities than assets on the horizon for the United States.
When combined with the abject failure of America’s war with Iran, and to effectively have placed all of its once allies in a position where they blame the U.S. for its ‘excursion’ into Iran, that I might add is costing them billions of dollars needlessly, America’s influence is deteriorating faster than an iceberg in the Gulf Stream.
America’s attempts at ‘restoring’ manufacturing and industry is another total failure, and its tariffs will result in less access to the very materials, minerals, energy and resources it is so heavily is now, and will be dependent upon in the future.
America’s zealous overinvestment in AI, may yet lead to an economic meltdown, as the anticipated monetized benefits have yet to be, and likely will not be, realized.
America is falling further and farther behind China and other nations in terms of green technologies and EV’s while destroying America’s environment, and the ability to even monitor the damage it is creating.
The constant drumbeat of ‘war with China’ by this administration alienates all of its (once again) former allies, further entrenching their position to ensure that they will not be dragged into another American debacle.
Europe, essentially supporting Ukraine along with a coalition of the willing, has decided that America is no ‘friend’, and in fact worry that America cannot even be trusted to not ‘sell out European interests’ to Russia.
NATO Without the United States
NATO’s member states should tell America to leave Europe, entirely. Right now its personnel serve little purpose as Europe’s leaders fully doubt that the United States will come to the aid of Europe in the event that Russia should strike in either the Baltic Nations or against Poland or Germany.
Europe is planning to build a European NATO again, with those in the new coalition willing to send troops and build new bases fronting Russia and any possible expansion.
Russia’s stalemate in Ukraine, and its actual loss of terrain this year, combined with increased anger internally within Russia, suggest that Russia may well seek peace, at least temporarily in Europe, further solidifying the EU and its partners in their plan to further militarize.
Should this occur, the rapid militarization and strengthening of NATO will create the conditions for, as the Prime Minister of Canada has stated, a ‘rupture’ with the United States to be formalized.
America alone, with little trade, no allies, and decreasing economic opportunities abroad, will be managed effectively by China, that has been rapidly gaining influence and ‘soft power’ in relation to its dealings with Africa, Asia, and with South America.
BRICS is but one example of this.
Rather than China driving Europe to a rapprochement with the U.S., the opposite is likely.
What Americans have not internalized, realized or apparently accepted is that the world’s middle powers do not intend on backing America, which to date has only attempted to threaten, extort or coerce its former allies.
The fact is, that ship has sailed. We are not interested in developing any further ties with the United States. We will trade with America when it works ‘Quid Pro Quo’, not zero-sum, as America’s hubris and American arrogance has done up until now.
Sorry, we’ll pass.
Trading with China, India, Brazil, Turkey, Indonesia and other major emerging markets in our own currencies has become the long-term objective.
Developing a new global reserve currency is the intent, and by 2035 it will likely be a reality.
We, collectively, are not here to augment the power of an abusive hegemon.
Sorry, but Nyet.
America’s trade accounts for between 10-12 percent of global GDP. It no longer has the ‘clout’ to dictate what ‘will be’.
America’s dependence on fossil fuels, ignoring global trends, means that America is falling farther and farther behind. Its manufacturing sector is dwindling, its allies, gone, and its influence waning.
China is not just winning, but has won the green revolution.
America seeks a second wind. What is actually transpiring is the Eastern winds are blowing ever stronger, and the relationships that will sustain those winds were almost universally created by the United States itself.
The twenty-first century will be a multipolar world with one nation, China being the superpower, with America a distinct and distant second-place.
Europe, the U.K., Canada, Japan, the ROK, Australia, NZ and Malaysia have seen enough of American ‘transactionalism’.
We have seen the enemy… and he will reap what he has sown.
Isolationism and further protectionism.
The imposition of a tariff regime will only further alienate America and cement its loss of influence.
The world, no longer trusts America.
Foreign Affairs
May 01, 2026
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