The fall of the empire

[Lannister902]

With the demise and inevitable fall of the American empire on the horizon, shouldn't the UK cut its loses and now become closer allies the China?

[I am alright Jack]

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Trump hyperbole usually goes in the daily Trump trauma thread.

[maz8062]

I've written this before, the UK is already stuffed. US-owned companies already account for 30% of our GDP, and each one of us contributes circa £2k per year into the profits of US companies. The US are already heavily invested in our economy - we can't just "decide" that we want to do something else - we can't.

The acid test will be the Chagos Islands and the Digital Services tax. If we can make our own decisions in the former without the "approval" of the US and implement the latter in spite of the protestations of the US, I'll be hopeful that we can forge our future. If we can't, we have a problem.

[Derek Smith]

I'm not so sure. The Trump thread has just finished a dissection of autism and is going onto an, albeit interesting, comparison with Hitler. Whether the UK should pick new friends is another matter.

[Countdown]

Lannister902 said:

With the demise and inevitable fall of the American empire on the horizon, shouldn't the UK cut its loses and now become closer allies the China?

The logical thing (IMO) would be to create stronger relationships with countries which share the same values as us and also not become overly reliant on one single relationship.

Canada
Australia
New Zealand
Norway/Sweden/Finland/Denmark
Some of the EU

FWIW it takes decades if not centuries for empires to end.

[Slow.Patrol]

Countdown said:

Lannister902 said:

With the demise and inevitable fall of the American empire on the horizon, shouldn't the UK cut its loses and now become closer allies the China?

The logical thing (IMO) would be to create stronger relationships with countries which share the same values as us and also not become overly reliant on one single relationship.

Canada
Australia
New Zealand
Norway/Sweden/Finland/Denmark
Some of the EU

FWIW it takes decades if not centuries for empires to end.

Agreed

Personally I am not sure that a closer alliance with a country that has questionable human rights issues and no consideration for climate change would be a good idea.

[Alex Z]

Slow.Patrol said:

Countdown said:

Lannister902 said:

With the demise and inevitable fall of the American empire on the horizon, shouldn't the UK cut its loses and now become closer allies the China?

The logical thing (IMO) would be to create stronger relationships with countries which share the same values as us and also not become overly reliant on one single relationship.

Canada
Australia
New Zealand
Norway/Sweden/Finland/Denmark
Some of the EU

FWIW it takes decades if not centuries for empires to end.

Agreed

Personally I am not sure that a closer alliance with a country that has questionable human rights issues and no consideration for climate change would be a good idea.

Just for clarification, are you talking about China or the US at this point?

[Slow.Patrol]

Alex Z said:

Just for clarification, are you talking about China or the US at this point?

Both. Although China has a worse record for human rights, currently...

What would be really good is for all the carbon conscious countries to get together and impose carbon tariffs on imports from the biggest offenders.

[MikeM6]

Lannister902 said:

With the demise and inevitable fall of the American empire on the horizon, shouldn't the UK cut its loses and now become closer allies the China?

Is the fall of America really inevitable? Seems a little far fetched to me.

[S600BSB]

Stupid thread.

[Pit Pony]

Slow.Patrol said:

Countdown said:

Lannister902 said:

With the demise and inevitable fall of the American empire on the horizon, shouldn't the UK cut its loses and now become closer allies the China?

The logical thing (IMO) would be to create stronger relationships with countries which share the same values as us and also not become overly reliant on one single relationship.

Canada
Australia
New Zealand
Norway/Sweden/Finland/Denmark
Some of the EU

FWIW it takes decades if not centuries for empires to end.

Agreed

Personally I am not sure that a closer alliance with a country that has questionable human rights issues and no consideration for climate change would be a good idea.

Thar describes the USA quite well.

[Derek Smith]

Countdown said:

Lannister902 said:

With the demise and inevitable fall of the American empire on the horizon, shouldn't the UK cut its loses and now become closer allies the China?

The logical thing (IMO) would be to create stronger relationships with countries which share the same values as us and also not become overly reliant on one single relationship.

Canada
Australia
New Zealand
Norway/Sweden/Finland/Denmark
Some of the EU

FWIW it takes decades if not centuries for empires to end.

The UK was boss of the world in 1914. By 1945 we were going, cap in hand, to the US for a bailout as we were bankrupt. While it took a few years to divest ourselves of the last vestiges of empire, and in trying to delay matters cost ourselves a small fortune at a time when we were spending borrowed money, not to mention lives, we made sure the fall was even lower. Suez anyone? India, the 'jewel', went just 33 years after the start of WWI.

That said, we were struggling in the 20s and 30s.

We tried to snuggle up to other countries, particularly with the commonwealth of nations, and, to an extent, it softened the blow. We tried the EU. But here we are now, all alone, with our freedoms.

I don't think it's a matter of becoming friends with China and India. We should just try not to upset them, and other large nations. With the US market undependable, we could try special rates for old times sake, you know, when we invaded them.

I'm sure that, with Trump at the helm, the USA could do it much quicker although it will struggle in divesting itself of its empire

[donkmeister]

Slow.Patrol said:

Alex Z said:

Just for clarification, are you talking about China or the US at this point?

Both. Although China has a worse record for human rights, currently...

What would be really good is for all the carbon conscious countries to get together and impose carbon tariffs on imports from the biggest offenders.

Well, we're already charging the VAT tariff.

Oh, apparently VAT is a tariff, according to the wuckfit in chief. Even though we charge it regardless of where goods are produced and services are provided, including domestically supplied.

[P-Jay]

Well if you believe some of the more fringe parts of the Internet Trump's goal is the divide the world between Russia, China and the US, like the 'good old days' of the Cold War. He hates Europe, as does Vance. The US would rule over the Americas (hence he wants Canada), Russia to rule over Europe and China to rule Asia. Not in terms of planting a flag and calling it their own, but more subtle in terms of 'influence'.

Given his way, he'd allow Russia to take Ukraine, or at least as much as they want, weaken Nato and Europe to allow the buffer zone between Russia and Nato they want. China to get it's claws out of the US, they don't seem to care about them taking Africa.