Coalition of the (un)willing
NICK TITAN ON THE TIME-RACE AGAINST WAR
(DUTCH VERSION ON: COALITIE VAN DE (ON)WILLENDEN)
Dear memberoos of our communicative community! Today’s blog focusses on the dilemma of VOKA’s (Flemish Federation for Entrepeneurs) chairwoman Trudy. She’s torn between two nasty options. Bowing for a crazy guru who thinks he’s Jahweh incarnated (with the consent of Jehova’s homeland’s Head of State himself), or marching out to war.
‘Dear Nick,’ says Trudy. ‘Trump’s throwing taxes at us that destroy our Flemish CEO’s. And they are still recovering from the shock of those new added value taxes that harm their bonus shares. As small shrimps in the vast Atlantic – mere ‘peanuts’ in Trump’s eyes – we play no role of significance. That doesn’t mean we like getting peeled. Don’t we have any wiggle space ? Please tell me what to do.’
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But let’s get back to our case, shall we? You’re asking my opinion, Trudy? Will do. But first, lets all get back to basics.
In love and war, all is permitted. Because economics are war, the same applies to you. ‘Business’ and ‘war’ go hand in hand, just like twin sisters ‘peace’ and ‘money’ do. Does everyone sit on piles of gold? Then there’s a chance of peace. Is someone facing deficits? In that case: start a war! Putin’s invasion of the Krim (and shortly afterwards Oekraïn) was not inspired by the odd communist idea, and even less by the so-called suppresion of the odd Russian emigrant by a regime of neo-nazis (who all seem to have disappeared after three years of war). It’s always been about the rubles. Be it in terms of minerals in the soil, or naval access to the Black Sea and – through the Bosporus –the entire Mediterranean.
What’s that, Trudy? You have no issues with the Russians? Believe you me, you do!
What Putin did in Oekrain – with soldiers, bombs, missiles and drones – Trump also does with taxes. He’s just declared an open war. Not only to his enemies – which sounds too obvious. The president-who-scorns-empathy (that’s for losers) puts his old partners against the wall. Get them all shot. And show no mercy. Who do these countries think they are? As if they ever had a say! We’ll teach those folks a golden lesson! Bye bye to you, free trade zone Europe. Take care now, Canada, Mexico and Japan. Only Big Tuna runs the show now. And he don’t need no friends.
The president plays solo slim. No one seems to appreciate that, except maybe for Donald’s fan club of Fox-addicted media-illerates back in those redneck states. Hurray, the Golden Century is coming! It all starts with a bang! Trump only needs to show his muscles to make the US Great Again. The Old American Dream revives. But only in America. All others citizens on earth, are plunged into a common nightmare. We’ve woken up in a global trade war. So, Trudy, you’re not alone! VOKA is unsure what to do. Entrepeneurs are panicing. Customer confidence is gone. All stock markets are turning even redder than Russia’s national banner.
Nothing more devious than power. It turns the seeing blind. But much rather than wearing glasses, Trump likes to hit the wall. One of the things he doesn’t get, is this annoying fact: protectionism is like nicotine. It destroys all you care for and gets you killed before your time. As history has been teaching us, prosperity is better served when everyone works together. Just take a look at those poor British, who have been shouting out for years the Brexit was a great idea. They’ve never managed to surmount the crisis that has caused. But worry not, for Trump knows better! Although his average Donald-Duckling is bound to pay way more for gass, oil, electricity, food, beverages, apparel , appliances, cars and houses, according to the president, the skies are free from clouds. ‘We may go through a litte dip. But that will soon be over. And then, i twill all be fantastic.’ Hear, hear. The guru speaks.
Trump fails to add a timeline though, beneath his fantasy. And surely he knows why. Because the fact is: time is money. That can be read both ways. You’ll need big bucks to buy yourself some time to sit it out. Only the ones who drown in money, survive a sudden draught. Whiles those with wormholes in their wallets, are sure to take the blow. That Trump’s very own voters’ group can’t live on air for months on row, does not concern Trump, Musk and co (who simply can’t imagine that, for that requires empathy – a vicious vice that’s stifling the EU). ‘When out of bread, let them eat cake,’ a certain Marie-Antoinette is quoted to have said a quarter of millennium before Trump repeated her. But she did lose her head. (No worries, Trump, you’re probably safe: the victim only was a woman and on top of that she was French).
The time on which Donald is counting – something that can be stretched without the risk of ever snapping – could turn out to his disadvantage. By choosing to play solo slim, Trump’s forcing all the other players to join ranks as team B. Just try imagining that, dear Trudy! A brand new trans-atlantic trade zone involving all remaining liberal countries! With the EU, Canada, Australië, Japan and South-Korea as main engines (and Flanders as the little screw cap on one of the spare tanks).
If we agree to trade together, next steps may become feasible. A military alliance, for example. For what’s the use of a Big Brother who claims he has your back if ever you should get in trouble, but turns his back right to your face the moment you’re in peril (or even worse: who asks you for protection fees although he’s know for breaking all his promises)? Such trecherous friends are far more evil than your worst enemy!
Lo and behold, Trump’s unpredictable politics are quickly pushing allthe noses in a similar direction. A centralized European Defense? Never, said France! And Germany buying nuclear weapons got a ‘no go’ from NATO. Suddenly, all that has changed and closed doors are wide open. We might want to speed things up, though. Time is not on our side (instead, two bullies are). Putin and Trump decide at moment’s notice without deliberation. At least in that regard, autocracies are clearly more efficient than their democratic counterparts. And that’s exactly why they’re lethal in disruptive times like these.
Apart from democratic decision delais, we’re suffering mainly from cold feet. Agility calls for comprise and for a leap of faith. But even under threat of war, no one is really willing. ‘What about our autonomy?’ all heads of state are wining, both within Europe and beyond. As long as our scattered Union – a complex, diverse jigg saw puzzle – can’t be convinced to stand as one, Trump, Putin and their mate Jinping continue to sit pretty. Decisiveness requires a mandate. And that implies all memberstates will have to pay a price. The question is how long it takes before they get the message. Here too, time is not on our side, but on the side of those two bullies at our borders. Will the EU come to its senses before Moldavia gets invaded, the Baltic States have been annexed, Poland belongs to Russia and Greenland to the States? Or do we have to wait until the very last data cables in the Northsea and the Baltic Sea have been destructed by yet another Russian tanker and we’ve grown used to sipping wodka instead of – say Jack Daniel’s – Bourbon? Na zdorovye! Cheers, Trudy!
A unified European army where every member fights with its own national weapons is not a bright idea. Different spare parts for each tank? A mosaic of airforce fleets where pilot A can’t fly a plane from any other nation? Ammunition that only fits one single type of gun, country or even region (what is your take on that, Trudy, are flemish companies aligned with their competitors in Wallonia or do we all fend for ourselves?) In times of crisis, all boils down to reaction time. And we are talking seconds. The more everything is standardized, the faster the response. But that requires transformations. And change noone supports. We are way past the time to doubt. Europe needs to move fast. Putin has shown us to how that works. Trump has outdone his master now by speeding up the pace. How long will Ursula hesitate before her fluffy, bureaucratic plans will yield some tangible results? Get moving or move over, baby. Or you’ll be judged for your mistakes, like Angela before you.
Now back to you, my dearest Trudy. VOKA may seem way too tiny to weigh on the debate. But in spite of its modest size, it’s big enough to act. Help Ursula see how to do better. By joining forces with your partners – both within Europe and beyond – and building a true coalition of the willing – in contrast to Ursula’s coalition of rather unwilling friends. Engage for more standardisation. Cooperate with companies to work on joint solutions that push our industry and defense to Chinese and American levels. But don’t just sit there on the side line (with potentates on every side, that place is all but safe)! Prove yourself worthy of your mission and do what entrepreneurs do best. Get out there and start undertaking! It’s up to entrepreneurs like you to come up with alternatives that inspire politics. Don’t count on Ursula for that. Do you not pride yourself for being so creative? Surprise us, then. We count on you. And so does Ursula. True grass-root revolutions always start up right from the basics. That kind of revolution may well be the best remedy in war times such as these. Good luck, Trudy. We’re rooting for you.
Cheer up, my dearest memberoos! Don’t you get flooded by your fear. Instead just go on treading water. That way you’ll never drown. By all means, keep on floating, folks. This is Nick Titan signing off. I hope to sea you soon.
Yours truly,
Nick Titan
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