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View Full Version : Are America's Alliances Fraying?




Cowlesy
06-17-2010, 05:54 PM
Michael Scheuer says, "Let'em Fray."

There are a lot of interesting responses in this thread from foreign policy experts. I liked Michael Scheuer's and Col. Pat Lang's the best though, and voted for them.

http://security.nationaljournal.com/2010/06/are-americas-alliances-fraying.php

Zippyjuan
06-17-2010, 06:15 PM
Russia and China have never been allies of ours. Brazil has finally grown to where it is in a position to exercies influence- they could not have done any of that ten years ago. Turkey is in an interesting position- neither part of Europe nor part of Asia while straddling both. Our actions in Iraq made them nervous becasue they are concerned about the Kurds in their country (and the ones in northern Iraq) who would like to have more autonomy than Turkey is willing to give them.

Then there is the question of how we treat our allies. We mostly ignore them- unless we need them to try to help us with something. But do we reciprocate and help them with problems or issues? Pretty rarely. It has been a mostly one-sided relationship. Economically we need each other (the US and allies) but pollitically the connection is not as strong as it used to be and after the collapse of the Soviet Union they are less concerned about having us help protect them from the Communists and the spread of the Iron Curtain.

Cowlesy
06-17-2010, 07:30 PM
Russia and China have never been allies of ours. Brazil has finally grown to where it is in a position to exercies influence- they could not have done any of that ten years ago. Turkey is in an interesting position- neither part of Europe nor part of Asia while straddling both. Our actions in Iraq made them nervous becasue they are concerned about the Kurds in their country (and the ones in northern Iraq) who would like to have more autonomy than Turkey is willing to give them.

Then there is the question of how we treat our allies. We mostly ignore them- unless we need them to try to help us with something. But do we reciprocate and help them with problems or issues? Pretty rarely. It has been a mostly one-sided relationship. Economically we need each other (the US and allies) but pollitically the connection is not as strong as it used to be and after the collapse of the Soviet Union they are less concerned about having us help protect them from the Communists and the spread of the Iron Curtain.

I don't know. I like how Scheuer offered up Washington's Farewell Address at the end. Pigs will fly the day Bill Kristol recites it on national TV.