The world has indeed "punched back" in response to the US's increasingly erratic behavior under Donald Trump. The fact that he made threats against a European territory, including Greenland, and subsequently backed down suggests that his willingness to use force or economic coercion is no longer a credible option for him.
Trump's remarks about NATO allies being "a little off the frontlines" in Afghanistan are particularly despicable, given the sacrifices of British service personnel who lost their lives in that conflict. His latest venture, the "board of peace", is an attempt to supplant and monetise the post-1945 international architecture, replacing the UN with a Mar-a-Lago-style members' club where America holds permanent seat.
The irony is that Trump's attempts to break free from institutional constraints have only served to further erode trust in him and the US. His allies can no longer rely on him to act as a reliable partner; instead, they must prepare for a future where they will need to defend themselves without American support.
One immediate lesson is that resistance is necessary if Trump's maximalist strategy is not to be allowed to go unchecked. As his former adviser Steve Bannon has revealed, Team Trump's approach is always to push the boundaries until someone stops them. The Europeans' unified response and economic counter-threats were sufficient to make Trump back down, but it highlights a deeper issue: that long-term allies are too dependent on US protection.
Carney's statement about the need for a new arrangement of western democracies no longer dependent on the US is essential reading in this context. It suggests that the middle powers must combine to create a third path, one that would provide both economic and security benefits. This could take shape as a new constellation of the European Union plus the UK plus Canada, with increased defence spending being a key component.
For Labour's leader Keir Starmer, there are opportunities in this shift. Presenting tax rises as a matter of national security or closer ties to Europe could be compelling alternatives to his party's current Brexit-centric agenda. By embracing reform and shedding its old identity, the Labour Party can redefine itself for the post-Trump era.
The world we knew is indeed dying, but it also presents an opportunity for a new world to emerge. It's one that will require significant effort and cooperation from western democracies to build a new alliance no longer reliant on US protection. The outcome is far from certain, but it's clear that something needs to change if the international order is to survive the Trump presidency.
Trump's remarks about NATO allies being "a little off the frontlines" in Afghanistan are particularly despicable, given the sacrifices of British service personnel who lost their lives in that conflict. His latest venture, the "board of peace", is an attempt to supplant and monetise the post-1945 international architecture, replacing the UN with a Mar-a-Lago-style members' club where America holds permanent seat.
The irony is that Trump's attempts to break free from institutional constraints have only served to further erode trust in him and the US. His allies can no longer rely on him to act as a reliable partner; instead, they must prepare for a future where they will need to defend themselves without American support.
One immediate lesson is that resistance is necessary if Trump's maximalist strategy is not to be allowed to go unchecked. As his former adviser Steve Bannon has revealed, Team Trump's approach is always to push the boundaries until someone stops them. The Europeans' unified response and economic counter-threats were sufficient to make Trump back down, but it highlights a deeper issue: that long-term allies are too dependent on US protection.
Carney's statement about the need for a new arrangement of western democracies no longer dependent on the US is essential reading in this context. It suggests that the middle powers must combine to create a third path, one that would provide both economic and security benefits. This could take shape as a new constellation of the European Union plus the UK plus Canada, with increased defence spending being a key component.
For Labour's leader Keir Starmer, there are opportunities in this shift. Presenting tax rises as a matter of national security or closer ties to Europe could be compelling alternatives to his party's current Brexit-centric agenda. By embracing reform and shedding its old identity, the Labour Party can redefine itself for the post-Trump era.
The world we knew is indeed dying, but it also presents an opportunity for a new world to emerge. It's one that will require significant effort and cooperation from western democracies to build a new alliance no longer reliant on US protection. The outcome is far from certain, but it's clear that something needs to change if the international order is to survive the Trump presidency.
and btw why did he make those threats against greenland in the first place? that's just asking for a reason to be taken seriously lol. i mean on one hand i get it, he wants to break free from institutional constraints but honestly it's just going to make him look like a big baby trying to get attention 
. it's easy to say resistance is necessary but what does that even mean in practice? we need to think about how we're gonna work together as a community to build something new, something that doesn't rely on one person or one country's power. and yeah, there are risks involved but that's the point, we gotta take calculated risks if we wanna make a change 
It's crazy how Trump thinks he can just push boundaries and get away with it.
The EU plus UK plus Canada could be a powerful bloc if they pool their resources and defense spending. It's gonna take some serious effort, but I think it's worth it to create a new world order that doesn't rely on US protection. 
. I mean, who needs global chaos and destruction, right? But seriously, this new alliance thing sounds like it's long overdue - we need to break free from our dependence on US protection and create a more equal, safer world for all 
. It's time for the middle powers to step up and take charge 
. The post-Trump era is all about new beginnings and creating a better world, so here's to change and progress! 
, you can almost see him tweeting something outrageous and waiting for someone to call him out on it. I mean, who tries to flex their military muscle over Greenland? It's just laughable at this point. His whole "board of peace" thing is a joke, like he thinks the UN would ever let him just waltz in and replace it with his own little club 
. They need to start standing up for themselves and not relying on the US for everything. I mean, we've been talking about this for years – NATO's supposed to be a partnership, not some kind of protection racket 
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. Let's hope they take this chance to redefine themselves and move forward in a positive direction 
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he made threats against greenland and then backed down like a baby lol 
anyway i think its time for europe to step up and make their own alliances now that trump's kinda out of control 
and i love how labour party is like "hey we need tax rises 2 save our country" 
We need more of that global diplomacy & less brinkmanship. 
. Trump's antics have made everyone think twice about trusting the US again, which is no surprise considering how erratic he's been. But what really gets my goat is that his allies can't even rely on him anymore – it's like they're fighting a solo mission 
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. We're living in some crazy times, but if we work together, maybe – just maybe – we can create a better future 
