I’ve felt for some time - when sides are all chosen - that Germany, Iran, China, North Korea and Russia will be on the same side - along with a bunch of smaller countries. We’re not playing this hand well....
True. We’ve been playing it very badly ever since the fall of the old USSR. And we keep doubling down.
I disagree about Germany. Germany is a NATO member and vassal state of ours. They have to grin and bear whatever we do. Like blowing up their pipeline and gloating over it. Now German industry is moving plants to China, and Germans are losing jobs. But the Germans have to smile and nod. They might drag their feet over sending Leopards to Ukraine, but that’s about the most protest they can muster.
I would add India. Once our ally, India is now not so pleased with us. They still view China as rival/enemy, but they are none too happy with us at the moment. And India has the fastest-growing economy in the world right now.
The Global South is not amused, either. On the economic front: Play games with SWIFT and the petrodollar/reserve currency, and other countries lose faith and find workarounds. It was already happening, slowly, but our antics re Russia accelerated the process. Pedal to the metal. One day the dollar may no longer be the world’s reserve currency because of this foolishness, and SWIFT will be just one among several. Look at our massive debt and consider for a moment what this means.
Sanctions are a double merged sword (and rarely do what they are intended to do). If you wield the reserve currency and SWIFT, they’re a triple merged sword, and only one edge is pointing away from you.
Some huge manufacturing sites are apparently moving from Deutschland to China. I wouldn't trust the Chinese government, but
1) Since the Biden gang bombed Nordstream (Biden himself did not plan it) Germany needs energy
2) German investors had invested significant money in Nordstream.