every time i hear one of the talking heads on the tv talk about how the empire wants a rules based world i have to laugh and this essay presents a bit of what could be called background on that laughter;

When an empire pushes up against its zenith, in a moment of equanimity before beginning the long slide into oblivion, there is opportunity to make sensible decisions to recognize rising adversaries and negotiate working relationships—offering each a seat at the table. Empires not heeding the moment find themselves caught in a trap named for a Greek historian—the Thucydides Trap, One such empire is the United States. 

Americans, mesmerized into a complacency of lifestyle that is still preferable to most of the world, and wanting for it to continue, support easy but unsustainable fixes. In a game of both-ends-against-the-middle, domestically, we use dollars made from debt, which alone, in time, will destroy the economy. Globally, we use whatever geo-strategic power we have left, to take from other nations, using sanctions and military threats. 

'For now', it works. We detain Iranian oil tankers on the high seas, bound for Venezuela (a nation representing no threat to the US), take the cargo and sell it. Because it doesn't directly affect our major adversaries, China and Russia, and because Iran can't do much to stop it, 'for now', Iranian oil sales to Venezuela have been stopped. 

High seas theft is piracy. Under 'international law' (without UN support for our actions), the US are pirates. But, with 'chest-thumping' and one hell of a PR campaign to sell an idea of US—'rules-based-order, 'for now', not much is being done to stop it. 

This same US tactic played-out with the Chinese tele-tech giant, Huawei. This week, my tyrannical homeland, Canada, released Huawei's CFO after three years of 'house arrest'. Her crime—a highly advanced 5G network, capable of data theft. As with Julian Assange, in Britain, CFO Meng was taken into custody by the Canadians to be extradited to the US. What were we Americans told? Huawei's 5G was capable of data theft. 

This again worked for the US, seriously slowing Huawei's progress in the EU, and pushing back China, who in retaliation for Canada's theft of their CFO grabbed up a couple of Canadians for espionage—who were quietly returned home this week. 

'RealPolitic' (without any regard for justice and human suffering), works, but only for as long as the rest of the world can be huffed and puffed into line. With major adversaries, China and Russia, our actions have engendered hostility that may come back with a vengeance when we find ourselves no longer able to contain up-and-comers. ..........read more.........