The US Is Nobody’s Ally: Strategic Lessons for a Changing World

Description

America’s alliances are transactional, not permanent. From spying on Merkel to AUKUS and South Asia, here’s why the US always prioritizes interests over loyalty.

Introduction

In a thought-provoking editorial published in Dawn on September 9, 2025, Jawed Naqvi offered a blunt assessment of American diplomacy: “The US is nobody’s ally.” This statement, while bold, is not without historical evidence. From undermining European partners to abandoning regional allies, Washington has repeatedly demonstrated that its loyalties are dictated by strategic convenience rather than long-term friendship.

This article expands on that editorial, placing its arguments within a broader historical and geopolitical context.

Surveillance: Spying Among ‘Friends’

Even among Western allies, US mistrust runs deep. Edward Snowden’s leaks revealed that the NSA wiretapped German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s personal phone from as early as 2002 until 2013. Merkel’s sharp rebuke—“Spying among friends is never acceptable”—captured the outrage across Europe.

This was not an isolated incident but part of a systematic surveillance program targeting even America’s closest NATO partners. The message was clear: strategic intelligence trumps friendship.

Strategic Sabotage: The Pipeline Episode

Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh reported that the US played a role in destroying the Nord Stream undersea pipeline, designed to supply German industry with Russian gas.

By removing Berlin’s energy independence, Washington forced Germany into greater reliance on US liquefied natural gas—a move that exposed the economic underpinnings of American foreign policy. In Naqvi’s words, it showed how “alliances can be sacrificed at the altar of strategic necessity.”

Economic Backstabbing: The AUKUS Pact

Perhaps the most blatant example of betrayal came with the AUKUS agreement in 2021. France, a NATO ally, was sidelined when the US and UK struck a defense pact with Australia, effectively canceling Paris’s lucrative $66 billion submarine deal.

The episode was more than economic sabotage—it was a statement that even within Western alliances, competition outweighs cooperation. The editorial sharply framed it: “When capitalism is in crisis, it devours its own.”

South Asia’s Calculated Risks

While Europe has tasted Washington’s opportunism, South Asia too is navigating its complexities.

India: Despite US intelligence reports implicating Indian operatives in a Sikh activist assassination plot on US soil, Washington has avoided public confrontation—choosing geopolitical leverage over moral consistency.
Pakistan: Once a “major non-NATO ally,” Pakistan’s experience—from being abandoned after the Afghan war to the conditionality of IMF-linked diplomacy—reflects the fragility of ties with Washington.

The takeaway is simple: regional states can neither fully trust nor fully reject US engagement.

A Pattern of Transactional Diplomacy

These cases reflect a wider pattern:

No permanent friends, only permanent interests.
Economic gain often disguised as security concerns.
Surveillance and sabotage as tools of leverage.
Alliances as bargaining chips, not bonds.

Such behavior erodes trust globally and accelerates the rise of alternative power blocs—from BRICS to China-led initiatives—where countries disillusioned with Washington seek greater autonomy.

Lessons for Smaller States

For nations like Pakistan, Bangladesh, or even European middle powers, the lesson is crucial:

Strategic Autonomy: Build diversified alliances rather than relying on one great power.
Economic Resilience: Reduce vulnerability to external sabotage by strengthening domestic industries.
Pragmatic Diplomacy: Expect shifts, prepare contingencies, and avoid assuming “friendship” in international relations.

Vocabulary for Enrichment

Term	Meaning
Realpolitik	Politics based on practical power and interests rather than ideals.
Transactional	Relationship driven by exchange of benefits, not long-term loyalty.
Geopolitics	The influence of geography on international politics and relations.
Sabotage	Deliberate act of destruction to weaken an opponent’s position.
Strategic Autonomy	The ability of a state to pursue policies independently of allies.

Conclusion

The Dawn editorial offers a sobering reminder: nations must not confuse alliances with friendships. Washington’s actions—from Europe to South Asia—illustrate that the US engages where it benefits and withdraws when the cost rises.

For Pakistan and other states navigating turbulent geopolitics, the challenge is to engage with the US pragmatically—while also building alternatives that safeguard their autonomy.

The era of unconditional alliances is over. In today’s world, every nation must learn to be its own ally first.