The importance of alliances in foreign affairs | In Focus

Published 2:30 pm Thursday, March 26, 2026

“No nations have friends, only interests.” Charles de Gaulle

Let’s examine this famous quote in the light of Iran shutting down the Strait of Hormuz to petroleum shipping after being attacked. Between 15-20% of the world’s petroleum passes through this strait. For cargo ships to risk such a trip now means a likely strike by either a drone or a missile. Insurers don’t want to insure tankers because it’s too risky.

President Trump has asked China, the U.K., India, South Korea, France, and Japan to send their naval ships to protect shipping in the Persian Gulf. President Trump has threatened, bullied, and demanded obedience and cooperation from nations that he insulted and demeaned for most of his second term.

Now he wants them to fulfill their responsibilities under NATO., an alliance which he, by the way, has severely criticized. But America and Israel acted alone in starting this war. Under NATO, if one country comes under attack, other countries come to their aid. This occurred when we were attacked on 9/11. But does this agreement apply to the Strait of Hormuz when this was an unprovoked American and Israeli attack?

Alliances have, since World War II, been a major source of America’s strength. We do have a number of alliances still in place:

• NATO and NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, to protect Europe, Canada, and the U.S. against an attack by the Soviet Union, now Russia.
• Bi-lateral security treaties with Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines.
• The Rio Treaty (the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance), a hemispheric defense agreement with countries in Latin America
• COFA, the Compact of Free Association with Palau, Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands, where we offer military protection in return for operating rights.
• Non-NATO Allies (MNNA) which include Israel, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Pakistan, Kenya, Tunisia, and Qatar.
• ANZUS is an alliance of Australia, New Zealand, and the United States,
• ASEAN unites us with countries in Southeast Asia
• The Quad: Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, which was created by the Biden administration to strengthen us against a rising and aggressive China.
• A de facto alliance with Taiwan.

These alliances have strengthened us against Russia and China. There is strength in numbers. Neither Russia nor China have many allies because it is difficult for authoritarian governments to be able to link with other nations who are not willing to submit to them.

That’s the danger of President Trump’s authoritarian “go-it-alone-America-First approach.” As Trump has incorporated a transactional approach to our allies, we have weakened ourselves and created mistrust. The United States has historically shared with and protected other nations for mutual benefit—no longer.

Why was the President surprised when Iran turned the tables by attacking our allies in the Persian Gulf, Central Asia, and the Middle East? Why didn’t he seek advice and support from our allies before we started this war? Why is the President now calling upon other nations to use their navies to keep the Strait open? Why wasn’t this part of the planning for the attack in the first place? Why didn’t we play upon our strengths—our alliances—and work together to defeat Iran?

Charles de Gaulle warned, “No nations have friends, only interests.” He was merely stating that nations act selfishly and in their self-interest. That certainly describes the President and Israel’s attack on Iran. Apparently, other nations do not have strong enough interests to get involved in this war, even though the world’s economy will be affected. America and Israel are not the rest of the nations’ friends. Trump and Netanyahu have seen to that.

Maybe that’s why this current war is not going well.