Iran has been trying to develop nukes ever since the fall of the Shah. North Korea started to develop nukes again about 3 weeks after they Clinton and Jimmy Carter bribed them not to do so. Libia quit developing anything except the lips to kiss Bush's rump.
Germany was enemy for most of the first half of the 20th century. East Germany was our enemy for most of the second half of the century. France wasn't much of a friend in WWII or after. We had to fight the French Government in North Africa in WWII. The only thing the French have been good at is suppling females so German Soldiers could make half French babies.
The Chinese have been our enemy since Mao took over after WWII and Russia doesn't have enough of an economy to challenge us much of anywhere. George W. Bush lets Putin spout off for his own nations consumption, but Russia does not have the economy to do much of anything... except Black Market US Software. Clinton attacked the Russians long term friend's in Kosovo and all Russia could do about it was pout.
The only things the Germans and French have done successfully in the last 100 years is surrender.
A great nations contemporaries never love them. They fear and respect them.
That is a great statement.