BEIJING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- One decade after former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor Edward Snowden blew the whistle on U.S. spying on the email and cell phone communications of as many as 35 world leaders, newly leaked Pentagon documents have once again reminded the world that Washington's surveillance network targets not only foes, but also friendly nations including Ukraine, South Korea, and Israel.
The lastest leaks were quite embarrassing for the United States and created unease among its allies. Be it concerning the economy, politics, or national security, the superpower never hesitates to maximize its own interests, on many occasions at the cost of other countries.
In the not-too-distant past, the United States sabotaged France's 66-billion-U.S.-dollar submarine deal with Australia, scooped up urgently needed medical supplies from Canada and other countries at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and posed trade threats to Europe through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act.
No wonder former European Council President Donald Tusk once said, "With friends like that, who needs enemies?"
More recently, the United States continues to fuel the Ukraine crisis, dragging European countries into the fray and putting enormous pressure on the security of Europe.
In the Middle East, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud has recently suggested that he is prepared to pursue Saudi interests without the help of the United States, including restoring ties with U.S. adversaries like Iran.
Regarding the recent wave of rapprochement in the Middle East, The Japan Times said Americans are finding themselves on the sidelines during a moment of significant change.
Why are America's allies distancing themselves? And why are its allies increasingly at odds with America?
Obviously, this is because of the hegemonic practices and zero-sum game mentality of the United States, which have created confrontation and division in the international community and seriously damaged the development interests of its allies and other countries.
In essence, the so-called alliance system established by the United States is to rule the world and reap its interests globally. Many of its allies have realized that blindly following in the footsteps of the United States will only lead to a loss in the end.
The United States demands its allies follow suit in containing China, but mostly receives only hesitation as a response. According to the U.S.-based Politico news service, any move Europe does make could fall far short of what the Biden administration wants in terms of isolating China economically.
"The leaders of Europe's largest economies are openly saying they are not interested in decoupling and by extension, meaningful sanctions on China in the event of conflict," Politico quoted a U.S. official who requested anonymity as saying.
In a rapidly changing international landscape, the United States faces numerous challenges regarding its economy and people's livelihoods. Its hegemonic aspirations are starting to weaken, and its so-called "commitments" to allies ring hollow.
Those who unite for profit will scatter when profits are exhausted. The current U.S. alliance system has been plagued by frequent leaks and flaws, and although the facade remains intact, its internal structure has begun to crack. ■