How effective are America’s imperialist policies? For decades the US has ruled with an iron fist at the top of the world food chain since the sabotage of the Soviet Union. During these decades the US has had a free hand to do whatever they pleased with regards to foreign policy. Invasion after invasion has taken place to build the US empire. Tens of millions of lives have been lost. For a long time, it seemed as though they were an unstoppable juggernaut.

Some have asked: what if other developed countries got tired of it? What if they want to engage in relations without relying on wars? We may be beginning to see just that.

Recent developments in the relations between South Korea and the US signify a serious problem. Already South Korea has expressed grave concerns over the lack of transparency towards the instalment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system. The President of the country wasn’t informed about the correct number of anti-missile launchers. It appears as though there are going to be four more than they were told. South Korean President Moon Jae-in says that the Ministry of Defense was informed of the four extra launchers, but his office was not. As a result, he ordered a probe into the whole incident.

The South Korean president said he was shocked by the development. This comes as his election into office rode on the policy of a more moderate approach to Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program. Such an act towards South Korea is utterly disrespectful. This kind of behaviour only disincentivises South Korean cooperation with the US. The repercussions are already making themselves felt. A new report shows that the DPRK and South Korea are engaged in negotiations without US involvement. It seems the South is tired of US interference in their national business.

US foreign policy Iran towards Iran has been more hostile than usual. As the last of the sanctions have been lifted from the country, the US has begun making accusations suggesting more should be placed on them. The usual blanket statement is being pumped out. The US alleges that Iran is involved in “alarming ongoing provocations.” No doubt this is a reflection of Iran’s ongoing support for the Syrian government. The US has also once again begun the baseless lies of nuclear weapons development. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson invoked the image of a nuclear DPRK by saying, “[a]n unchecked Iran has the potential to travel the same path as North Korea and to take the world along with it.”

By now other Western countries are tired of the Americans ‘crying wolf.’ French energy giant Total has gone ahead and struck a major deal with Iran to develop the South Pars gas field. The deal is said to be worth $5 billion. China has struck a similar deal with its state company China National Petroleum Corporation. The projects are aimed at processing 2 billion cubic feet of natural gas each day, or an equivalent to 400,000 barrels of oil.

Both China and France show no concern for the allegations made by the US. They’re already aware that they’re nonsense. Instead, they’re going to be raking in record profits from a mutually beneficial deal struck with the Iranian government. The US is taking quite a different path and getting quite a different result. France and China have taken a road of peace while the US is being left behind with no access to Iran’s energy resources.

We now see the growing consequences of US imperialism. They’re not getting what they want. The US has bullied the world through invasions, sanctions, and threats of violence for decades. Lately, it seems an unsuccessful tactic. While the US is making accusations and demands of those who refuse to bow to their imperialist interests, others are acting in cooperation and achieving results. It’s beginning to look a lot like other countries are growing weary of the constant sabre rattling and war mongering tone of the US. They’d much rather get down to business and have a productive relationship.

Is there a chance that aggressive US policy is becoming less effective? One can only hope so. World peace depends on it.