The return of the strong
I wrote a thinky for ASB today.
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Comments here, of course, are a goddamn free for all.
That’s ultimately what the invasion of Ukraine means. Not just a reordering of security architectures or rule-based orders. It means a return to our Hobbesian past, to the state of nature that has obtained for most of human history, where the strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what they must.
Can we talk about Ukraine's superhero president redefining leadership for the world? I've never been so invested in a politician's ongoing safety and health 😭
JB, you mention President Xi and Taiwan. Surely the Chinese gangstacrats are watching the outcome here and will adjust their plans accordingly? Nibbling away at the South China Sea, various atolls and reefs. For us downunder, surely this is the more menacing threat (aside from Lord Putin throwing nuclear threats around today). Frankly, I am concerned about China's expansion plans more than Ukraine. In saying that, standing up strongly with Ukraine will benefit us in China's scheming.