US Republicans traditionally put high value on relationships with America’s allies, but what exactly is an ally, and how do you differentiate between an ally and a mere friend? One former senior official liked to put it this way: “We die for our allies; we like our friends.” This was the stark distinction drawn by Rich Armitage, a Republican and former US deputy secretary of state. Donald Trump has a very different idea of US commitment to allies: “I’ve been saying, ‘Look, if they’re not going to pay, we’re not going to protect, OK?’ ” he said in February , speaking of the US allies in NATO.
Not only would he refuse to protect an ally who hasn’t “paid”, he’s said he’d actually encourage an enemy to do it harm. If Russia were to attack such an ally, said Trump, “I would encourage them [the Russians] to do whatever the hell they want”. So on these definitions, a traditional Republican is prepared to die for a US ally, while a MAGA Republican is prepared to sacrifice one.
This is a profound difference, one with potential to transform the world order. One of the defining differences between the US and its most formidable rival, China, is that America is the centrepiece of a constellation of some 40 allied nations, including all the most important rich nations on earth. By contrast, China has one treaty ally, North Korea, which it despises, and a few ragtag satrapies that are not so much allies as clients: Pakistan, Cambodia and Laos.
As a Chinese.