The US: A Country That Can Be Ignored

When the United States or other powers withdraw from world affairs, other nations hurry to fill voids and build influence. “President Vladimir Putin's Russia has been at the forefront of the effort,” explains Leonid Bershidsky. “In the latest development, on Tuesday, the foreign and defense ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey met in Moscow to discuss a plan for Syria.” Russia and the United States discuss issues, and the statement invited other countries with “influence on the ground to join,” but little comes out of the discussions. Likewise, China ignores US demands about the South China Sea, and British voters ignored warnings against leaving the European Union. Bershidsky blames Obama, and suggests that the rest of the world responds when the United States firmly acts on values-based foreign policy. “Breaking the values mold and moving to transactional diplomacy isn't an easy path, however,” Bershidsky concludes. “It requires a clear understanding of U.S. business and military interests in every part of the world and of what the U.S. is willing to give up to secure these interests.” – YaleGlobal