Small U.S. Security Clients Manipulate American Policy and Create Dangerous Entanglements
Source: The American Conservative. "Client Tails Wag the U.S. Dog - The American Conservative." March 29, 2026. www.theamericanconservative.com
The Gist
America has too many small allies that are really just dependent countries relying on U.S. protection. These countries manipulate American policy to get what they want, dragging the U.S. into dangerous conflicts that don't benefit America. The U.S. should cut ties with these risky relationships.
Conclusion
The United States should jettison or sharply limit its security commitments to small client states that manipulate U.S. policy and create dangerous geopolitical risks
Premises
- Most U.S. 'allies' are actually small security dependents rather than true strategic partners
- These client states actively manipulate U.S. policy to serve their own parochial interests
- Israel has successfully dragged the U.S. into military confrontation with Iran through manipulation
- NATO's smaller members are keeping the U.S. entangled in dangerous proxy conflicts with Russia
- Taiwan's increasingly assertive independence stance is escalating tensions with China and risking U.S. involvement
- These relationships provide few strategic benefits while creating substantial risks for America
- Smart great powers do not incur such risks on behalf of dependents masquerading as allies
Assumptions
- U.S. foreign policy should prioritize American interests over client state interests
- Small states can successfully manipulate superpower policy against the superpower's interests
- Military entanglements with client states increase rather than decrease U.S. security risks
- The current alliance system is more burden than benefit for the United States