[Bokababe]

"I have a very simple concept of 21c history. We have three forces: traditional Christianity (both East an West), Islam, and the Militant Secular State. Neither is a natural ally of any of the others, even though temporary alliances may exist from time to time and from objective to objective."

Precisely. To those in power now, there are no laws worth respecting, no values worth dying for, there are only "political objectives worth pursuing".

I recall recently reading that one unnamed US politician, who was quoted as saying re the Balkans, "We don't choose objectives according to our friends, we choose friends according to our objectives".

If an individual rather than a country conducted themselves this way, what real "friends" would you expect them to have?

[annalex]

He’d have friends who hate him for his freedom.