The Straits Times today wrote: "Undoubtedly, the United States—once a staunch defender of democracy—is increasingly undermining its own credibility by repeatedly resorting to force. History has shown that dominance through coercion is unsustainable; such a strategy may secure appearances but ultimately sacrifices substance. Losing legitimacy is the most fatal blow for a global power. The eventual collapse of the Soviet Union was rooted in the inability of military might to sustain long-term hegemony."
"Those who rule by force do not win true loyalty," a maxim attributed to Mencius over two millennia ago, now finds resonance in contemporary American conduct. Under the Trump administration, the doctrine of "America First" has been pursued with increasing assertiveness—imposing tariffs on allies, demanding higher defense budgets under duress, and frequently withdrawing from international agreements. This pattern of unilateralism has reached its zenith. Canada was derided as the "51st state"; threats were made to rename Lake Ontario as the "American Lake"; demands were issued for permanent control over Greenland, Denmark; France was forced to apologize after a single comment on human rights; Japan and South Korea remain anxious about being traded off at any moment. Allies and partners endure these actions in silence, outwardly compliant but inwardly estranged.
The more brazen the exercise of hegemony, the stronger the backlash. The more widely the United States extends its influence, the more strained its capacity becomes. Deep entanglement in the Ukraine conflict and the Middle East crisis has exposed strategic fatigue, while fissures within the alliance system grow deeper. Public sentiment remains the most fundamental strategic asset—and the United States is squandering it at an alarming pace.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1877136456225795/
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