Since November 2024, the US imposed sanctions on TSMC, the world's most advance chip company, requiring them to halt the export of advanced chips to Chinese customers. Taiwan is used as a permanent lever over Beijing—while limiting China's access to advanced semiconductors. NATO added QUAD and AUKUS to tighten the belt in the Indo‑Pacific and stepped‑up patrols and bases from the South China Sea to the Philippines. I think it's fair to assume that China wouldn't be happy...

With Russia, NATO has gradually expanded east, after dissolving the Warsaw Pact not to push further. Their style seems to be to rebrand every move as “defensive” as they aggress year after year. Putin was clear about Ukraine being a line in the sand; that Ukraine should not join NATO. It's no surprise that the recent invitation for Ukraine to join didn't go down well. Russia's currently engaging in warfare as a result, but NATO forces refuse to yield. Another unimpressed imperial power.

Let's flip the map for a moment—imagine Mexico joining a China‑led military alliance, for example. Would the US sit by? Russia’s war is ugly but understandable, after 75 years of Western expansion and ignored treaties. Predictably, Moscow tightened alliance with Beijing, and now Pyongyang. The primary risk of trying to isolate rivals and pushing too hard is the risk of catalysing their alliance.

With Israel’s recent bombing campaigns under an American air‑defence umbrella, followed by Trump’s bunker‑buster strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites after Israel hit an Iranian consulate. That ties the US directly into a conflict at the Strait of Hormuz, a choke point for the very energy flows Washington has tried to marshal since Iraq. Sanctions, price caps, asset seizures, and SWIFT expulsions turn finance into a weapon, pushing Russia, China, Iran—along with North Korea—into tighter alignment.

The UN recently seems to have found its voice on Gaza—videos, condemnations, protests, etc. To be clear, I want this to happen: Israel’s actions and powerful lobbies demand scrutiny. But, my concern is that the UN will use the movement to regain public favour, in a time of unprecedented public mistrust.

The timing and selectivity are worth noting. Troves of people who wouldn’t touch the subject are suddenly “brave.” Where was this energy in earlier Gaza wars? Where was it during COVID overreach or the tight coupling between Gates‑funded outfits and “global health” diktats? If they fail to address these crucial issues, I wouldn't buy it.

NATO’s growth follows suit with the US. Of course, it markets itself as “collective defence”, but they steadily expand their territory, build military bases around non-allies, destabilise governments, send false aid, and change regimes to bolster power. In 2008, the “open door” to Ukraine and Georgia crossed Russia’s stated line in the sand. If we want peace, we need our leaders to stop pretending history didn’t happen.

China recently held its eightieth anniversary of Japan's surrender, at which Xi Jinping hosted Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin. I imagine they had lot's of interesting chats about the US and NATO behind closed doors. They also included a terrifying military display, which one might read as a threat to the West. But Trump's X post about it was anything but diplomatic or humble.

He implied Xi Jinping was ungrateful, citing the historical support the US provided to China. He concluded with an accusation: "Please give my warmest regards to Vladimir Putin, and Kim Jong Un, as you conspire against The United States of America."

Trump's accusation sounds all too plausible, which I think warrants pause. Three imperial superpowers, all highly nuclear capable, along with the US and potentially other Western forces. If the US and NATO continue to refuse to check themselves, I fear the worst. It seems all they'd need to do is back off and mend some fences. Will reason prevail?