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U.S. Client States and American Prosperity

Bret Stephens advises Republican candidates to believe in fairy tales: And it [our prosperity] depends on our embattled allies, from Taiwan to Georgia to Israel, knowing that we have both the will and the wherewithal to stand for their defense. Whether or not the U.S. should defend these “embattled allies,” what is certain is that […]

Bret Stephens advises Republican candidates to believe in fairy tales:

And it [our prosperity] depends on our embattled allies, from Taiwan to Georgia to Israel, knowing that we have both the will and the wherewithal to stand for their defense.

Whether or not the U.S. should defend these “embattled allies,” what is certain is that “our prosperity” does not depend on this. Of the three states listed here, Taiwan is by far the most important economically as our 9th largest trading partner, but that is all the more reason why the U.S. should not be unduly antagonizing China and increasing the chance of conflict. The U.S. obviously has no intention of defending Georgia, and the mistake Washington made then was in not conveying clearly to the Georgian government that it could not expect U.S. support in a conflict with Russia. The false belief that the U.S. was going to support Georgian actions contributed to the crisis three years ago, and it is important to avoid creating similar false impressions elsewhere. Of these three, Israel has the least need of U.S. protection, as it is perfectly capable of providing for its own defense. What all three of these states have in common is that they are client states that have become security dependents or liabilities, neither of which contributes to American prosperity.

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