" The dogs of demonization, containment, sanctions and even war may bark all they want, but the Eurasia integration caravan keeps moving along."

Gunter, I feel like I'm watching a football game and my team is losing badly 

So: what part of the Silk Road is not possible

The Silk Road: I have posted about has received, at a guess, zero comment

My guess is nobody cares or nobody cares to understand

Sadly the USA is digging the hole deeper and the rest of the world is working on solutions for trade and military power that do not include the USA

The sad part is the USA does not know how badly they are losing, if the current trajectory continues

I'll be concerned the first time a country has a crisis and they don't expect/demand that the US play a major role in helping them fix it.

Hasn't happened in my lifetime.  

Their big problem right now is that the dinner bill has come due and the US is not happily picking up the tab.

Hey Tim

You got that right big time about folks hollering for help.

Problem is, some times [not always] the USA is backing a corrupt puppet as head of state. and the people rebel. Then the corrupt dictator asks for USA military for help plus a fat aid package, which he/she skims a good chunk of the aid money for himself/herself. The dictator knows if the USA refuses to help, the rebels will over throw the gov't, the corrupt dictator will flee into USA safety in exile, and the country is ruled by people not friendly to the USA. 

Sometimes the reason for putting out brush fires might be self interest for the USA or deemed as essential as a gov't air base or some other military asset the USA deems essential for national security.

Thus it can look like folks are asking for help when the USA has a reason other than just being the good guys.

.