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October 7, 2022

Donald Trump’s “America First” doctrine encountered stormy weather in the American globalists’ community, which characterized it as a mix of nationalism, unilateralism, and xenophobia.

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However, “my country first” doctrine was not a new approach to international order. It was originated in the 17th century by a Frenchman, Armand-Jean du Plessis, known as Cardinal de Richelieu. Richelieu offered a revolutionary concept to create stability in the international system, later known as raison d’état or national interests. The concept has served as the most reliable guide for government policies for the last 300 years.

So, what is raison d’état for the major players involved in the Ukrainian conflict?

United States

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America, unlike the rest of the world, claims that its foreign policy is not guided by national interests, and often does act on idealistic values. American foreign policy is supposed to be guided by superior principles – the proliferation of democracy and individual rights. America’s inability to define its national interests – indeed, its refusal to accept the validity of such a concept — produced many of this country’s tragedies.

This time, we witness a radical reversal of American policy. In reality, the war that is fought ostensibly to protect Ukraine’s democracy and territorial integrity is a war in pursuit of American national interests and a domestic agenda. It is to keep the “evil empire” case alive, justify NATO’s existence and support the military-industrial complex. But the main objective is to make the European Union, which has built its prosperity on cheap Russian gas, less competitive. The prime target is the European powerhouse, Germany.  To our great relief, the best part is that after decades of bringing our children home in coffins, Ukrainians are dying instead.

Europe

Although Europeans subordinated their sovereignty and national interests to unelected bureaucrats in Brussels’s European Union headquarters, their history’s complexity precludes them from a shared view of national purpose. Indeed, Europeans have no vital interests in the war. What unites them against Russia is the burden of revenge.  

The governments of Russia have fought a huge number of wars and there are few European countries that have not been involved in a war with Russia at one point or the other. The historic memory dies hard. Sweden cannot forget Poltava, Turkey its loss of Crimea, France a victory parade of 160 000 Russian troops on the outskirts of Paris after the defeat of Napoleon, Germany a red flag planted over the Reichstag, Poland the partition of the country and communist slavery, Baltic states for being part of the Russian empire and later suffering the fate of Poland and so on. Europeans have confused historical grievances with national interests. 

Britain, on the other hand, cannot take off the shackles of nostalgia for the lost imperial glory. But, with the German economy weakening, Britain has a shot at mastering Europe.