Influence

NoRightTurn notes that the European Union is loosing influence, he then also notes that the US is loosing influence .

Both very true, and he has a fraction of the explanation when he highlights the US's exceptionist attitude to international law and the EU's attitude towards diplomacy. He thus suggests that it is their own fault. But he seems to be missing hte big picture here. China and the world outside the US and hte EU are on the rise - the EU and the US have been,relitively speaking, on the decline since the 60's. That trend doesnt look like stopping.

It is natural then that the EU and the US can expect to see their influence over othercountries diminish. the US wont be able to push China around on tibet if China can defeat it in a war just like the EU wont be able to push around places like fiji if india and china give them more aid than the EU does.

If either of those two countries have a long term goal of continuing to dominate the world's political structure they better get to fixing their fundimental economic issues, because otherwise they are just dreaming.