In his well-thought out article, Stan Grant of ABC News, Australia, discusses several issues that concern us all. He makes valid points and asks a question for Australia which suddenly faces an immediate issue that every country in its own turn will have to face. India particularly may try to dodge the weighty question but at their peril.
The all-important question is - Can China be antagonized by countries that so far were dependent on or allied with the US. The stock market is known to discount, make allowance for, risky events much before they happen. In a similar way, the global political and economic environment is now weighing in and will soon adjust to the quickly changing scenario. This weighing-in has always been by nature an active, continuous process, but with Afghanistan the speed has accelerated. In a way it is a pity. The vultures are gathering above a magnificent but wounded buck, waiting for it to die so that even before, they can swoop and pick on it’s wounds and weakness. The smell of fear attracts the lion (China), the hyenas (Russia) and the wild dogs (Iran and North Korea). In many ways it is a pity. America has always been a beacon, however imperfect, shaky and bumbling, for democratic and human values, trying to make a better future for all by sharing its knowledge and paving the way often at great expense to itself, for progress and betterment. These very reasons have, in Afghanistan sounded its death knell. Every decent world citizen hopes that America’s decline reverses itself. It has shown time and again that it can do so. But this time seems different. There is no recognition of the decadence, or the resolve to beat it. Whether it is Gun Control or Covid or rebuilding infrastructure or hypocrisy in foreign relations or divisive partisanship, racism or a hundred other vexing problems, everyone can see clear solutions; everyone but Americans themselves. The words cognitive dissonance come to mind. The article makes a few things clear: 1. China demands respect and exacts a price if it cannot get it. 2. No one has any illusions of China doing the decent thing. 3. China will create local wars and win. The strategy is cutting the salami in a thousand slices, not one Loud Bang. See China effectively doing that with a big neighbour, India. 4. It will unify in common purpose with Russia outflanking the US and leaving Europe to take an independent stance for its own good. The world is rapidly realigning and the US is not dominant any more. In the 'post-American world', has Australia backed the right global superpower? https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-19/australias-fate-tied-to-chinas-xi-jinping/100471778 Roland. Toronto.
