Being a global bully is lonely work

America has always had the option of working with its allies.
We chose not to. We chose to issue ultimatums instead.
It takes a special type of incompetence for the most powerful nation on earth to become isolated.

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The extent of US isolation at the UN has been driven home by formal letters from 13 of the 15 security council members opposing Trump administration attempts to extend the economic embargo on Iran.
...
Diplomats at the UN said the depth of US isolation was in part a reflection of the abrasive style used by Pompeo, who accused Europeans of choosing to “side with the ayatollahs”, and the US ambassador to the UN, Kelly Craft, a political appointee.

“The Americans were actually being over the top in their ridiculousness,” one diplomat said.

“The underlying point here is that most countries on the security council basically agree with the US that Iran is not a nice country and it having nuclear weapons and more arms is not a good thing,” the diplomat said. “But the Americans misplayed their hand so often, so aggressively, that they isolated themselves from people not on policy, but on just being unpleasant.”

Can you even imagine just how big of a jerk you have to be to isolate yourself from the world, when you are the most powerful nation on earth, and your allies agree with you on policy, and yet they'll still vote against you because of the way you act?
You have to be a major-league asshole.
This is not the first time recently that we were isolated.

Meanwhile, 24 EU countries opposed US plans to impose new sanctions on Nord Stream-2. Only three refused to share the majority opinion, writes the German newspaper Die Welt, citing sources in European diplomatic circles.

It seems likely that Germany will finish the pipeline, and that America will sanction them.
Where it gets interesting is how the European Union will respond.

Exhaust all possible diplomatic options including those codified in Article 96 of the UN Charter, in which the General Assembly or the Security Council may request the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to give an advisory opinion on any legal question. When the ICJ declares the US to be in violation of international law America would be branded an outlaw. Certainly a loss of face for the Trump administration, assuming such embarrassments have any register with the White House occupant.

A loss of face implies a sense of shame. I don't think that this exists in Washington.

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Pricknick's picture

does a good job of explaining how bad we are.
U.S. Will Sanction Other Countries For Not Enforcing UN Sanctions That Do Not Exist
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2020/08/us-will-sanction-other-countries-f...

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Regardless of the path in life I chose, I realize it's always forward, never straight.

this 'exceptional' stature is an embarrassment
in the court of world opinion
global travel is enlightening
seeing your country thru others eyes

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janis b's picture

@QMS

that exploring other places and cultures is invaluable in creating a broader perspective. I have appreciated the experience for myself. There are others whose experience has been limited to the immediate limitations of place and commitment, yet have also discovered expansive places within that context. I think that is what gives me hope for the future. For many other’s, often no fault of their own, the experience is out of reach. Sometimes though, I fear that even people with more privilege are becoming more entrenched in their narrow view. What a shame for humanity.

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In reality "WE" have no choice in the matter. With the war mongers in the State Department and the CIA calling the shots us peasants are insignificant.

edited to add: Otherwise you are spot on.

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lotlizard's picture

plenty of times before this. Before “we” smashed and/or sowed chaos in Iraq — Libya — Syria — Yemen?

Just another example of Trump forcing a salutary clarification of things that could and should have been clarified years, decades, generations ago, and many many wars and famine-creating sanctions campaigns before this.

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edg's picture

@lotlizard

The same thought occurred to me. "Resisters" like to blame Trump for all the ills in the world, but the vast majority of policies that people dislike and complain about have been US gospel for years or decades.

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OzoneTom's picture

@lotlizard
I suppose that it is getting to the point that everyone can now see that the emperor is stark naked.

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What's that? The only times in the past 3 years the U.N. was mentioned in the news was when Trump defunded some U.N. function. Our supposed ally Israel is mentioned rarely, we're involved in military actions in what, 22 countries? May foreign papers don't have English editions anymore. The press is becoming more and more useless. Places like TOP have become propaganda mills. No wonder ignorance has become a virtue. If there weren't sites like this we would never know what news really is.

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