What is respect? Respect means listening, understanding and taking account of the interests of the other. That's it. Doesn't mean weakness or unmatched concessions - don't talk about Chamberlain please, or accuse diplomats of being "putinistas".
Isn't this what intelligence means: "To understand"? How much do our leaders understand of the position of the other parties in these conflicts? How can they understand anything if they don't engage in dialogue?
The method to "take account of" rhe interests of the other is called negotiation, dialogue, mediation, diplomacy ... a logical approach to change management or conflict resolution ... call it what you will, this rational approach to decision-making, with respect for the interests of the other side and within the framework of international law, could stabilise the West and even reverse the decline.
Europe is tremendously well placed here to act as an intermediary between America and Russia, and America and China, and indeed sitting on the east-west Mackinder geopolitical fault line, is very well placed to cooperate on a Eurasian security architecture.
A Eurasian security architecture could render NATO, if not caduc or obsolete, then at least would provide the security from each other that each country in Europe needs, given Europe's history of relentless warring, so that makes sense. ....makes sense as using logic and reason, in place of emotions and hostility, and plain fear and greed.
And look how easy it would be for Europe to take a global lead, after negotiations with the enemies of the West, once it had the ability, a free hand, to exploit its technology, its joint natural resources, its population size and its wealth - all of which exceed America's.
In summary, respect and negotiation with a view to independence for Europe and Asia from the Americans - as they obtained from Britain 248 years ago! - let the Americans go, let them be king in their own continent.
The Western leaderships do not appear ro like the Russians and they don't like the Arabs and they take hostile military action against them. The Russians and the Arabs know this, they know the West and they don't trust. To have a chance of winning, the West needs to know its own rationale and the rationale of the other. Reason, logic and the truth must prevail over instinct and ignorance and prejudice.
AND EUROPE WILL RISE AGAIN
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