Now my question might sound cheeky to some. I am sure some will say that Europe will be the partner in the liberal world order. America needs it this time because China is four times its size and has the potential to outpace the US in GDP. If they reach 1/2 of GDP per capita, they will double our size, which is not an unreasonable goal. Nor does the United States have a trick up its sleeve. We will not bribe an alliance this time.
But will others rise up to help in this liberal world order? I want to ask some serious questions about this.
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Is Europe really ready to defend the liberal world order with its treasure?
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Will QUAD be more than just dialogue
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If neither Europe nor India commits, can the United States and its allies (Japan, Australia, etc.) defend against China in their own backyard?
Now one of the main reasons the United States is so committed is that it is the leader in this global system. So, of course, it stands to reason that we should be offended by not ruling the world. But this is not a good argument for all of your allies. (Europeans are helping us defend our hegemony in East Asia!)
As for India, they were not a serious partner, so they do not have many historical ties. They are also friendly with Russia and show no interest in changing that. Nor have they demonstrated any serious desire to adhere to the Quartet as an anti-China group. (This is what the United States wants it to be) They also know they have potential so they may not want to fully commit to a world Americans envision.
On the other hand, Europe has little reason to take such a bold measure. The French & The Germans are hesitant to confront the Russians, much to the chagrin of Poland and others. Russia is European in their view, and they may not want to take such a hard-line stance. If they don’t have a strong stance against the Russians, have little interest in turning NATO toward the Pacific, and have little interest other than preventing migration in the MENA region, how reliable is their ally?
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