Subtracting Our Morality Won't Divide Our Enemies

Appeasing either Russia or China by adjusting our foreign policy surrender victims to them will earn us contempt and shame--not friendship. 

Splitting Russia from China as this author wants would be great. But the author blames America for their close relationship:

Some fear these developments signal an emerging power bloc in Asia bent on contesting American influence. Yet leading officials and commentators often fail to understand how the United States itself helped create the conditions for increasing Russo-Chinese alignment. Military cooperation between Moscow and Beijing is not simply an inevitable convergence of like-minded authoritarian states, as the popular narrative suggests. It is also a direct response to American muscle-flexing in the region.

I'm in favor of splitting China from Russia. But blaming America for preparing to resist two aggressive states is ridiculous. America is in no way responsible for pushing them together. Indeed, pretending that Russia and China are allies ignores the brutal reality that Russia is a vassal of China forced to bow more deeply every day.

A vassal that China refrains from helping significantly. Shouldn't American help for Ukraine be pushing China to arm Russia under that author's theory?

But for splitting the two, why would China turn against its vassal? Sure, China might pounce on an easier target, but China won't be a friend if we stand aside and bless that move. Strengthening China at Russia's expense is not in America's interest.

Clearly, Russia is the obvious target for flipping. But how does Russia safely escape bitch status deepened by invading Ukraine? Russia is more vulnerable now to China deciding to exploit Russia's troubles. Russia has reason to fear how much China might demand.

To truly split Russia from China, America and Russia need a common enemy for solid motivation. China is that foe. But for now, Russia pretends NATO is the main enemy. And Russia is trapped in that position as long as it insists on invading Ukraine. 

But as that author implicitly reveals, Western advocates for splitting Russia and China seem to focus on throwing Ukraine under the bus. But Taiwan or some other Asian victim will do in a pinch, too, for some. 

Offering concessions to awful governments to gain their favor won't work even if you move beyond the moral bankruptcy of doing that.

NOTE: The image was made from DALL-E.

NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.