Alliance Appeasement: When Maintaining Alliances Becomes Self-Defeating
Source: Joseph Addington. "Appeasing Allies - The American Conservative." March 11, 2026. www.theamericanconservative.com
The Gist
America keeps military alliances like the one with Israel going just because they exist, not because they actually help America anymore. These old Cold War partnerships now drag us into unnecessary conflicts and cost us money and lives for no real benefit.
Conclusion
The United States should end its practice of 'alliance appeasement' - maintaining alliance relationships for their own sake rather than for genuine national interests - particularly with Israel and other liability states
Premises
- Current alliance networks like the U.S.-Israel relationship were built for Cold War purposes that no longer exist, making them obsolete
- Alliance networks that extend far from core national interests become forced, ideological, and profit-driven rather than strategically necessary
- These relationships create a feedback loop where maintaining the alliance becomes an end in itself, leading policymakers to act for the alliance rather than national interest
- Post-Cold War alliance networks have increased the likelihood of being dragged into conflicts and experiencing domestic backlash
- Historical precedent shows the U.S. successfully broke from alliance dependencies in its early years (French alliance during Quasi-War) and prospered without permanent alliance networks
- No indigenous power has the capability to dominate the entire Middle East region, making extensive military commitments there unnecessary
Assumptions
- National interest should take priority over alliance maintenance
- The Cold War threat that justified these alliances no longer exists
- Alliance networks can become self-perpetuating bureaucratic entities divorced from their original purpose
- Geographic distance reduces the strategic necessity of alliance commitments
- Historical patterns of alliance behavior are applicable to current geopolitical situations