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Instability
Copyright 2010
Foreign Affairs has a new word. Instability. The coming century will witness a struggle, as always, in global politics. However, the thing that everyone will be fighting about has changed.
Resources will continue to be the number one thing that nations fight over but the nature of resource acquisition is different. Economies have become interconnected. Growth is now dependant on cooperation. You can make millions by conquering and hoarding but you can make billions by sharing and cooperating.
In the past, you could beat up another nation and take their resources. This made foreign policy very simple.
Now, we want people from other nations to be able to buy our products. Their economic health has become our concern. We want other nations to be strong.
Once China owns four billion dollars of US debt, their orientation towards us changes. In the event of war, they lose a lot of money. So, what do they want from us now?
Stability.
All other issues take a back seat.
What do Russia, India, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, France, and The UK want from us?
Stability.
Why are we concerned about North Korea, Iran, and Cuba?
Instability.
We really don't care anymore how much money you have or what your religion is or how your philosophies differ from ours. All we care about is, "Are you economically stable."
For us, you are an investment and we don't want you to become worthless. We also don't want collateral damage to any of our other investments.
Why do you think we went to war with Iraq?
It is because they threatened instability in the region of the world that produces oil. Believe me, the Arab nations in the region were totally on board with what we did. Now, thanks to WikiLeaks, we know that they also want us to take out Iran's nuclear ambitions with military action.
In the 21st century there will be war but it will be about stability. You can yell and scream all you want about things like the environment, global warming, religion, race, terrorism, or anything else. The only reason we will kick your ass is if you threaten economic stability.
This puts us all on the same team. And isolates rogue nations like never before.
We can argue with China and Russia about human rights or religious tolerance but when push comes to shove, the thing that is bad for business is instability.
When Soviet Georgia decides to make the entire region unstable, it is in all our interest to stop it. We can negotiate the pipeline and the European Union and anything else but things must remain stable.
North Korea may think that they can give us the "bird" because China has their back but they may not understand that the issue is stability. China has 4 billion dollars of American debt. China does not want relations to become unstable and whoever is causing the instability will be dealt with.
-Levystien