Respect according to Trump: when hegemony becomes a mirage By Brainless Partisans 🏴‍☠️☢️☣️🪆 "We are a country that is more respected than we have ever been respected before." This is Donald Trump's solemn proclamation about the war against Iran. A phrase that sounds like a declaration of imperial self-satisfaction...... except that on the ground in the Middle East, "respect" increasingly resembles a mixture of anxiety, mistrust, and strategic calculation. Because if we listen to the Gulf capitals, the problem is no longer Iran. The problem is America. First, there is the question of protection. For decades, the oil monarchies have lived under the American security umbrella. Military bases, a fleet in the Gulf, missile defense: the implicit contract was simple, Washington protects, the oil monarchies align their interests. But the current war has cracked that pact. Iranian strikes against facilities in the region, including sites linked to the American military presence, have been a brutal reminder that these states remain exposed despite the American arsenal. As a result, even the most loyal allies are beginning to have doubts. According to several analyses cited by Foreign Policy, the Gulf monarchies are "questioning Washington's ability and willingness to guarantee their security" after the Iranian attacks. Diplomatic translation: the American bodyguard may not be as reliable as its press conference claims. Then there is the geopolitical reality that no one is saying too loudly: this war increasingly looks like a war waged by Israel with US military power. The Gulf states do not want to participate in a prolonged campaign against Tehran or serve as a platform for escalation. Several governments have made it clear that they do not want their territory or airspace to be used to attack Iran. In other words: thanks for the military bases, but you're on your own when it comes to war. Finally, there is the factor that is most damaging to the American image: the unintended demonstration of vulnerability. Iran obviously cannot compete with American military power. But it can strike where it hurts: scattered bases, energy infrastructure, the Strait of Hormuz. Since the escalation began, drone and missile attacks and the disruption of maritime traffic have shown that even the world's most powerful military empire cannot completely secure the region. It is precisely this type of asymmetric warfare that erodes the influence of a superpower. Iran does not need to win militarily; it only needs to demonstrate that American hegemony is no longer unchallenged. And this is where Trump's statement becomes almost comical. Because in the history of international relations, respect is not proclaimed. It is observed. When allies start looking for assurances elsewhere, towards China, Russia, or regional arrangements, that is not respect. It is a survival strategy in an international system where the Pax Americana increasingly resembles a museum relic. Trump believes that war proves American power. In much of the Middle East, it proves something else: that even empires have cracks. And that sometimes, the adversary does not even need to widen them. It is enough that they are visible.show more

Brainless Partisans 🏴‍☠️☢️☣️🪆

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