Geopolitics

It has been a “fucking nightmare”. But sometimes a nation needs a nightmare before it can fully awaken to long-simmering crises.

The US had to come to this point. We couldn’t go on as we were, even under Democratic presidents. For 40 years, a narrow economic elite has been siphoning off ever more wealth and power.

I’m old enough to remember when the US had the largest and fastest-growing middle class in the world. We adhered to the basic bargain that if someone worked hard and played by the rules, they’d do better than their parents, and their children would do even better.

I remember when CEOs took home 20 times the pay of their workers, not 300 times. When members of Congress acted in the interests of their constituents rather than being bribed by campaign donations to do the bidding of big corporations and the super-wealthy. Trump has precipitated a long-overdue reckoning.

That reckoning has revealed the rot.

It has also revealed the suck-up cowardice of so many CEOs, billionaires, Wall Street bankers, media moguls, tech titans, Republican politicians and other so-called “leaders” who have stayed silent or actively sought to curry Trump’s favor.

Note: I think this trend holds true for many recent crises in other countries as well, directly or indirectly. We need to reveal the rot and all do our own reckoning.

Archive: https://archive.ph/iAXca

Highlight: "In East Asia, China will likely move to enforce its own version of the Monroe Doctrine. Beijing will continue to use incremental tactics and economic coercion against neighbors to pressure them to decouple or distance themselves from Washington. In coming years, the extent to which Beijing attempts to eject the United States from its region politically and militarily will likely define the principal arena of U.S.-Chinese strategic rivalry. “Don’t make us choose” has been the mantra of many East Asian countries, including some U.S. treaty allies. But under bipolarity, the luxury of choice is not one afforded to small countries in a superpower’s backyard. Countries will be forced to choose, and choose correctly according to their neighbor, or risk the consequences. The return of bipolarity means it’s time to remember—with regret and trepidation—the nature, intensity, and global reach of superpower competition."

Interesting shortened interview with Gabrielius Landsbergis former Lithuania's Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Basically US has been saying for a while already that they cannot or won't operate in two separate theaters anymore. Europe was slow in its response and unable to solve important internal issues because of discord.

Secondly, the way forward for Europe is to make a winning European Plan of it's own.

"How to Build a New Global Order Before It’s Too Late", Alexander Stubb, December 2, 2025.

-About Geopolitical analysis, ethics, reforms of Institutions and relations for the Global West.

You might notice that Stubb has references to Fukuyamas book.

Arch

FRANCE 24 spoke to Francis Fukuyama, author of the 1992 book "The End of History and The Last Man", in which he asserted that the end of the Cold War had established the dominance of liberal democracies. The Stanford University professor said that the election of US President Donald Trump is "the most surprising and the most disappointing thing that's happened" since he wrote the book. "He's clearly a leader with authoritarian instincts," Fukuyama stated, adding that Trump "is in the process of trying to cut an extremely shameful deal with Russia over Ukraine".

Francis Fukuyama author " The end of History and The Last Man" 1992. wiki

It's also interesting to see in wiki how his views & philosophy have changed over the years.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/39045912

It is unclear if Trump administration backs deal that would mean Kyiv giving up territory and slashing size of military

US and Russian officials have quietly drafted a new plan to end the war in Ukraine that would require Kyiv to surrender territory and severely limit the size of its military, it was reported on Wednesday as Russian drone and missile strikes killed at least 25 people in the city of Ternopil.

The draft plan, which was reportedly developed by Donald Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, and the Kremlin adviser Kirill Dmitriev, would force draconian measures on Ukraine that would give Russia unprecedented control over the country’s military and political sovereignty. The plan is likely to be viewed as surrender in Kyiv.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/38961720

Chinese travellers are estimated to have cancelled hundreds of thousands of flights to Japan amid reports of suspended visa processing and cultural exchanges as a diplomatic dispute over Japan’s stance on Taiwan continues.

Under pressure from business groups, Japan has sent a senior diplomat to Beijing in an attempt to calm tensions after Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, said her country could get militarily involved if China attempted to invade Taiwan.

Her comments prompted fury from China’s government, which issued warnings against Chinese travellers and students going to Japan.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/38499101

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/52630446

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/5522375

Archived version

Taiwan’s deputy leader urged the European Union to boost security and trade ties with the self-governing island and support its democracy in the face of growing threats by China, in a rare address to a group of international lawmakers in Brussels on Friday.

“Peace in the Taiwan Strait is essential to global stability and economic continuity, and international opposition against unilateral changes to the status quo by force cannot be overstated,” Vice President Bi-Khim Hsiao told lawmakers assembled for a China-focused conference in the European Parliament building.

While Hsiao did not formally address the whole EU Parliament — the European trade bloc does not have formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan — her visit drew ire from China.

“In an era marked by increasing fragmentation, volatility and rising authoritarianism, this gathering affirms something vital — that democracies, even when far apart, are not alone,” she added to a standing ovation in a small chamber of the European Parliament.

Hsiao also called on the lawmakers from countries including Germany and Spain to collaborate more on trusted supply chains and AI technology with Taiwan, the island off China’s east coast that Beijing claims as part of its territory and says must come under its rule.

...

cross-posted from: https://thelemmy.club/post/37828273

Renowned Canadian hybrid warfare, AI and disinformation expert Blair Maddock-Ferrie of Carleton University writes on the serious threat to national security that AI Companion Apps and girlfriends like Replika, Character.ai, etc. pose today.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/33401565

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/48231559

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/44264978

https://archive.is/9kma5

Japanese diplomats told company risk officers that “you are on your own if you put significant assets in Taiwan”, said one person present at one of the conversations.

Foreign direct investment by Japanese companies — traditionally Taiwan’s third-largest source of FDI, after the EU and US — slumped 27 per cent last year to $452mn, and is down from a peak of $1.7bn in 2022.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ca/post/43529344

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/37396113

As Europe prepares to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day, the YouGov polling also showed large majorities felt that events during and before the second world war were relevant today and must continue to be taught to younger generations.

Between 41% and 55% of respondents in the five European countries polled: Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, said they thought another world war was very or fairly likely within the next five to 10 years, a view shared by 45% of Americans.

Majorities of 68% to 76% said they expected any new conflict would involve nuclear weapons, and between 57% and 73% also said a third world war would lead to greater loss of life than in 1939-1945. Many (25% to 44%) believed it would kill most people in the world.