The US & Her Allies: The Dog Refuses to be Wagged by its Tail.

by Eze Eluchie,

The scenario had been often repeated: relatively less endowed countries will deliberately provoke a crisis, fully conscious of the fact that their success can only be guaranteed if Big Brother gets involved in the crisis. Big Brother gets goaded to take up the crisis as its own and the less endowed states merely contribute peripheral resources towards addressing the crisis – a situation commonly known as ‘the tail wagging the dog scenario’. All manners of adjectives have been coined (such as ‘special relationship’, ‘shared fundamental values’ and ‘Blood Allies’) to cajole Big Brother to continue in this very expensive vocation - a vocation that leaves Big Brother lagging behind its allies in virtually all facets of societal advancement – from academics, citizen social welfare programs, public infrastructure and general quality of life.

Over the years, the United States has found itself routinely led into conflicts in which it clearly had non-defined goals nor identifiable gains, save for the fact that its ‘allies’ had urged it on and convinced it that there was a threat to the ‘shared interests’ – the brutal murder and consequent destruction of Libya initiated by the United kingdom and France, into which the US was dragged into typifies this situation. 

The above graphic illustration expresses the relationship between the United States of America and its so-called special allies – Western European countries, Canada, Japan and South Korea. Well, that was the situation till the emergence of Donald Trump as the 45^th President of the United States.

Having rode into office on an unambiguous promise to prioritize America’s interest (with the slogan ‘America First’), Trump started off his stay in office with clear signs of his intentions to abide with a clearly Americacentric stance that does not recognize any ‘special relationship status’, or ‘allies’ except with the American people and American interests. The shock withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on Climate Change sent shock waves across the world which clearly did not sink in the message down enough to those who had considered themselves as ‘special allies’, as they continued to act in a condescending manner believing that they will eventually ‘curb’ the excesses of POTUS.

To curb Trump’s ‘America First’ appetite and ensure the ‘special relationship’ amongst allies, the allies appear to have crafted ingenious arrangements to ensure continuing US involvement in global affairs. A few days after the Trump administration had announced its intention to withdraw US troops in Syria, a chemical weapon attack was ‘announced’, and in a move unheralded in the annals of international military coalition efforts, targeted punitive military strikes were coordinated against Syria, long before an investigation team had been empanelled to look into the allegations. The ‘America First’ resolve had been put to test, and appeared to have wavered.

In like manner, an ‘attempted murder by military-grade nerve agent poisoning’ was drummed up – and as was the case with the alleged Syrian chemical weapon attack, without tangible evidence, a perpetrator was ‘named’ and the US was, again, steamrolled into engaging in diplomatic missives to ensure it was in tune with its ‘allies’ and special status friends.

The successes with the Syrian chemical weapon and Salisbury stories fooled the European allies into thinking that despite his public brashness and boisterous nature, US President, Donald Trump can be made to easily tow the old generous benefactor/Big-Brother stance the US had become used to. This cock-sure attitude of the European allies gave rise to such ridiculous happenings as the French President, prior to a visit to the US, publicly boasted of his ability to get Trump to change his stance on the Iran Nuclear Agreement (the JCPoA) and on Trade Tariffs. Boy, Macron and the allies were in for the shock of their lives.

As the long scheduled G-7 meetings in Canada approached, it dawned on all that the once close-knit blood allies were headed for a make-or-mar summit that would crystallize the role of the US as ever reliable ‘Big Brother’ who was ever ready to pick up his allies bills or make it explicit to the allies that there was a new kid-in-the-block who truly meant his words when he says ‘America First’.

US Government announcement of imposition of tariff on steel and alumina products from its allies (Canada, Mexico, the EU States and Japan amongst others), a few weeks to the Canada G-7 meet where there would be a face-to-face meeting with the leaders of the allies made it clear to all but the discerning that Trump was not joking when he says ‘America First’. Verbal missiles were already flying between Big Brother and the allies as the dates for the Summit approached.  

To add fodder to the schism between the US and other G-7 member States, POTUS prior to departing for the summit, floated the idea of readmitting Russia to the fold – a suggestion that was immediately rebuffed by other European G-7 countries. The divergence between POTUS and other G-7 leaders were palpable and some media outfits reported the likelihood of fisticuffs if sufficient distance was not maintained between the leaders.

The Canada G-7 summit has come and gone, the rest as the saying goes is history. The US came out of that summit clearly notifying its allies that the days when it served as the local piggy bank which all and sundry fleeced at will had passed and all must bear their own portion of responsibilities.

The effect of the stance now adopted by the US is bound to restructure global order and signal critical shifts in inter-State relationships, particularly in the areas of global economic and political order.

The continuing inability and or unwillingness of political leaders in the African continent to leverage on the changing dynamics in the relationship between the US and its allies to chart new parts that will ease the shackles of underdevelopment for their various countries continue to baffle and amaze.

As Americans continue to applaud and appreciate the Trump administration particularly for its positive effect on US economy, with an ever increasing likelihood of a second tenure assured, there appears to be yet more time for the impact of ‘America First’ philosophy to sink in and countries across the world to adjust to the new realities unfolded by a global super-power focused on primarily advancing its own interests and which refuses for its junior allies to control her or to be waged by its tail.

Picture: President Donald Trump surrounded by other G-7 leaders (Angela Merkel of Germany, Theresa may of the UK, Emmanuel Macron of France, Shizo Abe of Japan and their aides), who appeared perplexed and helpless by the position taken by the US on various issues.