The hardliners in Russia are beginning to celebrate their good luck. US Secretary of State Pompeo appears to some to have launched a Cold War against China. The newspaper Vzglyad.ru has a headline declaring “Russia Has Lost its Status as the Main Enemy of the USA.” And specialists on defence matters have warned the Americans not to expect anything from Moscow because Russia and China are all but allies.
But are not these commentators getting a bit ahead of themselves? It was not the US Secretary of State who announced that the United States was about to stand up against Soviet expansionism, it was President Truman, and until President Trump announces that the United States is uniquely focused on combating the expansion of Chinese power, no one should hold their breath.
Instead this begins to look like huffing and puffing before establishing a tough negotiating position. And China has every interest in setting matters right with the United States in the longer term. Its economy is not going as well as was expected and if the Americans carry on tightening the screws it may get even worse. And in laying ridiculous claims to the entire South China Sea (which has not been Chinese since it disposed of its navy in the 15th Century) and frightening India with aggressive border incursions it is not exactly winning friends and influencing people elsewhere, but merely repeating the grave error it committed under chairman Mao in 1962. Russia may not align with the USA, but India might. What use would Russia be anyway? What exactly would it have to offer? The Americans don’t need more missiles. And it just goes around the world making trouble for everyone else.
Россия потеряла статус главного противника США
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25 июля 2020, 19:00 Фото: Dwi Anoraganingrum/Geisler-Fotop/Global Look Press Текст: Анастасия Куликова, Андрей Резчиков |