Strains of Relations

Every day we relate to others – colleagues, family, friends, strangers, service personnel, professionals, and so forth. We get along. One way or the other, we get along. We do this to keep peace and calm. So much easier to live life this way.

Politeness counts in this process. So do manners in general. Frustration shown is misconstrued as personal attack. Raised voices connotes anger and disrespect. Tempers fray and action could follow. Other than leaving the scene, remaining in place and taking action does not make for calm results.

Between organizations relations take on patterns of protocol. This keeps peace. Rules of the game I suppose. Competition is normal, anything construed as unfair, however, is a gamechanger. Tempers may rise and words follow along with the possibility of actions. None will be taken as amiable.

Put relations between nations and we confront another set of rules, behaviors, protocols and manners. The stakes are higher. Nations have military and weaponry to wield when provoked enough. Though the stakes are higher, and deaths may result, relations remain complicated to navigate in whatever context.

International affairs are interesting to observe. Russia and US relations bounce along a continuum of oddity. Economic sanctions are painful for Russia, the war in Ukraine is upsetting to most, commerce agreed upon by contract continues to happen. Political prisoners are released upon successful negotiation. The moving parts of the above are truly complicated. But business continues to be done.

The journey of that commerce may get rocky. Observe China’s mishandling of the taking over of Hong Kong. Their agreements were soon abandoned. The free municipality of Honk Kong as an international bastion of commerce, has disappeared. Corporations have left the city. Their business is now done in countless other locations. The synergy and innovation of Hong Kong is likely gone forever. So many buildings going to waste. Infrastructure now underused.

Not so Saigon. After a brutal war and loss of life, Saigon is now remade and championing enterprise from every land. The people are realizing the gains. Life is surprisingly good there where once the future was bleak. A successor of Hong Kong?

Taiwan is a success story. Innovation and initiative yield massive outcomes. China’s threat to attack and regain imagined borders will likely cause a decline in value similar to Hong Kong. An empty victory should it arrive. Such a waste. Instead of a gain, China will surely lose on so many fronts. Better they do not attempt this foolhardy objective. Saving face comes in many forms. Not trying is an early option with strong value.

Russia knows this lesson well. War is not always a clear-cut option. It has threats unseen. Who wins and loses is not always a military victory. An empty victory is often the end result.

The rocky road of international relations is history past, present and future. Weighing these matters may be seen as sport for some, but it makes for tragedy for others. On many scales it is measured.

How unfortunate that history continues to see the same mistaken judgments pursued. Over and over again.

December 12, 2022

 

 

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