Beijing’s display of martial might on the 70th anniversary of Communist rule was a sobering moment. The line-up of sophisticated weaponry, including a new intercontinental ballistic missile, said a good deal about China’s great power ambitions. Europe was looking the other way as the tanks trundled through Tiananmen Square. For now, second-guessing the fortunes of US president Donald Trump is the only game in town.
Mr Trump has broken the rhythm of history. We expect threats to the established order to come from rising powers. China is no different, though it has become very big, very fast. The assault on the postwar Pax Americana, however, has been led by, well, America. When Europeans fret about another war breaking out they have usually been looking at Mr Trump’s Twitter account.
The White House decision to pull US troops out of northern Syria and leave their Kurdish allies to face an invading Turkish army fits this bill. The Kurds have been the west’s most reliable allies in the fight against Isis and other jihadi groups. Mr Trump has decided that America owes them nothing. Washington, its allies are reminded again, cannot be trusted. How will things look when Isis fighters start breaking out of the detention centres that are at present guarded by the Kurds?