The knight in the big world of American TV series

Chapter 2369

In fact, this neighbor's recent situation has not been very good.

The Atlanteans unleashed a global tsunami, wiping out 80% of the world's navy...

There's no other way; there's only one reason they can survive.

It shares a father-son relationship with the United States, but it's not quite the same as the nominal father-son relationship with Dai Ying. The other side is truly intertwined, with deep entanglements!

It's more than just a country; it's like the 51st state of the United States, or to put it more bluntly, an unsinkable "aircraft carrier" planted in the heart of the Middle East. To understand why this noisy neighbor is so powerful, you must first understand its relationship with its "godfather." This isn't an equal alliance, but a relationship of protection—a blank check issued with US dollars and hegemony. First and foremost, it's money—naked, real gold and silver. Since World War II, the various forms of aid the US has given its apocalyptic neighbor, even after adjusting for inflation, totals over $2600 billion. It's arguably the country that has received the most foreign aid from the US in history, bar none.

This is not charity; this money has only one purpose: to ensure a "qualitative military advantage" over all neighboring countries.

What does this mean? It's like a street fight where everyone else is armed with bricks, but he's carrying a Gatling gun provided by the "world's number one arms dealer." How can that fight possibly go on? More important than money is the "get-out-of-jail-free card" the US has given him at the UN. From 1956 to the present, the US has used its veto power in the Security Council more than 80 times, and more than 50 of those times were to protect its little brother!

Any remarks or resolutions that are unfavorable to this leader are categorically and uncritically rejected by the United States.

This is tantamount to declaring to the whole world: Rules? Rules are made for you, my little brother doesn't need to follow them.

What is the US after? Is it for "shared democratic values"? Don't believe such platitudes; the real reason is much more ruthless.

During the Cold War, Arab countries generally leaned towards the Soviet Union, and Washington urgently needed a pro-Western, capable "watchdog" to disrupt the situation.

And this little tyrant just happens to be the most "suitable" choice. However, the deeper reason lies within the United States, where a lobbying group helps lobby! They can practically influence every member of Congress. Another, even larger and more fervent force is Christian "Zionism"—tens of millions of American evangelical Christians firmly believe that the little tyrant's restoration is the fulfillment of biblical prophecy and a necessary prerequisite for the second coming of Jesus Christ.

For them, what they were supporting was not foreign policy, but "destiny".

Strategic interests, political donations, and religious fanaticism—these three elements, bundled together, form the first and most powerful trump card. This unconditional support also creates a classic "moral hazard": since the US will bail me out no matter what I do, why should I bother negotiating with my neighbors? Isn't it easier to just take action?
If the United States' asylum was the first trump card, then the second one was something that Little Tyrant created himself.

This is a nation born for war, a peculiar fusion: the entire society seems to live in a strong "siege mentality," which they call the "Masada complex"—a feeling that the whole world wants to destroy them. This mentality isn't paranoia, but rather institutionalized. To this end, they have adopted a policy of universal conscription; almost all citizens over the age of 18 must serve in the military—32 months for men and 24 months for women—followed by decades of reserve service, with annual training. In the event of war, this tiny nation can mobilize an army of nearly 70 overnight. The entire society is like an extension of the military; military service is not a job, but the core of national identity.

This constant existential threat has also fostered an extreme culture of innovation: to survive, one must be smarter and more technologically advanced than the enemy. This has created the most terrifying "military-industrial-technological" complex on Earth.

This "military-civilian fusion" has produced a series of chilling war tools. A typical example is the "Iron Dome" defense system, which supposedly could shoot down rockets like swatting flies (this claim is questionable). But their offensive weapons are even more terrifying. Together with the United States, they developed the "Stuxnet" virus, the world's first truly cyber weapon, which physically destroyed the centrifuges at Iran's nuclear facilities without bloodshed. Their "targeted killing" tactics are a perfect combination of intelligence, drones, and precision-guided munitions, capable of declaring death like God, anytime, anywhere.

External threats and technological progress have formed a symbiotic cycle: the greater the threat, the stronger the impetus for innovation; the stronger the technology, the more ruthless the means to strike the enemy. The military is not only a consumer of technology, but also a creator of technology and an incubator of talent.

This model gives it a huge asymmetric advantage.

While its neighbors were still spending money on weapons, they were already inventing the next generation of "warfare models".

Their third card is divide and conquer—dancing on the enemy's ruins.

Its most "brilliant" trump card was the astonishing disunity among its opponents.

It is well-versed in the ancient art of "divide and conquer," and it never needs to defeat a unified Arab world, because a unified Arab world has never existed, and the dream of "Pan-Arabism" has long since died.

The Arab coalition's ultimate defeat in the first Arab-Israeli War of 1948 was not only due to the reversal of the military situation in the later stages, but also because of internal disunity, mutual distrust, and a lack of unified command. In 1978, Egypt, under the auspices of the United States, signed the Camp David Accords, making a unilateral peace that completely shattered the unity of the Arab world and led to its expulsion from the Arab League.

This set a bad precedent: a trend emerged in Arab countries where "national interests" took precedence over "Arab national interests." The Abraham Accords, signed a few years ago, normalized relations between the UAE and Bahrain, Gulf monarchies terrified by Iran. This would have been unimaginable a decade ago; this move directly undermined the Arab world's resolve. The Palestinian question, once a core issue in the Arab world, was thus ruthlessly marginalized. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia, the leader of the Sunni separatists, had long since relegated ideological struggle to a secondary position in order to achieve its "Vision 2030" economic transformation plan.

This is precisely the strategic transformation of the Little Tyrant: from a "pariah state" isolated by the Arab world, it has transformed itself into an indispensable "security cornerstone" in the new "anti-Iran alliance." It has turned one of its greatest existential threats (Iran) into its greatest "diplomatic opportunity."

So, let's go back to our initial question—why are Apocalypse's neighbors able to act with such impunity!

The first trump card is the unlimited authorization granted by the United States—a credit card with unlimited overdraft and a get-out-of-jail-free card. The second is its own internally forged steel-like structure, a Spartan society where "everyone is a soldier," grafted with the technological brain of Silicon Valley. The third is its group of adversaries who can never unite, a disorganized mess manipulated at its mercy. These three trump cards make it an unassailable force in the cutthroat Middle East.

However, if we zoom out a bit in on history, we'll find that this was actually a huge gamble, a colossal gamble that staked the future of the entire nation on the table, because none of these three trump cards are permanent.

So when the great change came.

The Middle East is discovering that... our 'good neighbor' seems to be failing.

Unfortunately, with the decline of American maritime hegemony, direct military support from the United States has become meaningless!
It's impossible for them to transport countless soldiers and various war machines from the other side of the world to the Middle East battlefield by plane alone... Although it's possible, the cost would undoubtedly be too high!

From a global perspective, the Earth's surface is divided into "seven parts ocean and three parts land," with ocean accounting for 71% and land for 29%. The ocean is vast and interconnected, forming a unified whole; the land, surrounded by the ocean, is relatively isolated. Since the Age of Exploration ushered in the flourishing of human maritime civilization, 90% of global trade has been conducted via ocean transport. As Mahan stated, "The rise and fall of all empires is determined by whether or not they control the seas." And the key to controlling the seas lies in straits, the "throats" of maritime traffic.

International trade relies heavily on ocean-going vessels to transport goods from one country to another. A world map reveals crucial waterways in every country, region, and continent. Africa's vital waterway is the Cape of Good Hope; Eurasia's is the Suez Canal; the Middle East's is the Strait of Hormuz; East Asia's is the Strait of Malacca in the South China Sea; and South and North America's is the Panama Canal. There are 16 such vital waterways worldwide. These locations share a common feature: they all have US aircraft carriers stationed there, or US warships frequently patrolling the vicinity. This explains why the US possesses 11 aircraft carriers. Why does the US control these waterways? Is it to profit from transit fees? A transport ship passing through the Panama Canal costs around $100 million. However, the US isn't just in it for the tolls. If it were, Panama would be under Panamanian control, and the Suez Canal under Egyptian control, meaning the US would be essentially leeching off other countries! That would be extremely resentful. So why does the US, even if it's universally disliked, still want to control these vital global waterways? The main reason is related to the US dollar! Currently, all ocean-going transport ships, regardless of the country, settle transactions in US dollars. Why must it be the US dollar? Because the vital waterways used by various countries are controlled by the US. You can choose not to pay tolls, but you must settle in US dollars. If you don't use US dollars, the US can easily send an aircraft carrier flying in your face—you'd be making headlines then.

Sea power is key to geopolitics and the cornerstone of national prosperity. Whoever controls the seas controls the world!
But with the collapse of American maritime hegemony, the little tyrant can no longer dominate.

As a result, many countries that had a grudge against Little Tyrant began to stir.

Initially, there were reservations, given the United States' continued strength. Even with the collapse of its maritime hegemony, its financial hegemony also crumbled! But it must be said that inertia is a terrifying force. Even today, with the collapse of its financial hegemony, the US dollar remains the world's most widely used currency… There's no way around it; many countries still hold large amounts of US dollars, and the settlement system is primarily based on the dollar.

It's not that easy to adjust.

The United States has weakened, but it is not finished.

People will still give them face.

The United States also uses its remaining influence to protect its own interests as much as possible.

There's no other way. If it were to collapse in an instant, the United States would truly be finished. So, even for its own sake, the United States cannot allow its little tyrant to be so easily destroyed.

No one dared to be the first to speak out, since they were all unsure of the true nature of America's resolve.

After all, even though the US Navy is finished, the US still has air supremacy!
Over a decade ago, the most advanced fighter jets in the world were the American F-22 and F-35, touted as fifth-generation fighters. Other countries had virtually none, and even those they did possess were supplied by the US. This created a generational gap between fighter jets. For example, when the US was fighting Iraq, it first sent two aircraft carriers to the Strait of Hormuz, close to Iraq and Iran. Iran's attitude was very timid, while Iraq's attitude was: "Oh... you've got your carriers right in my face! I'll still challenge you!" The result of this challenge was that the US directly called in its air force, intercepted them, and with a burst of speed, its fighter jets were right in Iraq's face. It was like using its first and second skills—without even unleashing its full power—to completely wipe out the Iraqi air force. The US used its technological advantage to utterly defeat the second- and third-generation fighters in Iraq!
While the air force cannot replace the army in ground attacks, a focused air strike can still cause significant harm to a normal nation. They can even target more than just military facilities, energy reserves, and factories in hostile countries!

As the main forces of the military, air forces and navies receive substantial annual funding from various countries to develop and strengthen their capabilities, highlighting their crucial role in enhancing military strength. In recent years, countries have witnessed rapid development in their air forces, with increasing personnel and a strong drive for new weaponry. Fighter jets, as the core of the air force, directly impact its overall combat effectiveness in terms of quantity and performance. The United States, Russia, and China, currently ranked among the world's top three military powers, naturally lead in fighter jet development, especially the United States, a global military superpower whose air force has consistently held the top position. Reports indicate that the U.S. Air Force has as many as 5000 active-duty fighter jets.

The United States currently operates a staggering 5000 fighter jets, a number that surpasses that of many other countries worldwide. Furthermore, despite this vast fleet, the US rarely produces shoddy aircraft, ensuring their superior performance. The US was the first country in the world to develop a fifth-generation fighter jet, a feat that has been followed by other nations. Moreover, the US possesses a diverse range of fighter jets, including stealth fighters, drones, transport aircraft, and reconnaissance aircraft. Each type has undergone rigorous testing and refinement in combat, resulting in impressive performance. Therefore, the US's achievements in the field of fighter jets are unparalleled. While most countries have drones in their air forces, this is a minority; most fighter jets still require pilots, and the US is no exception. With such a large fleet, the demand for pilots is immense. The United States has hundreds of thousands of people with pilot licenses, and its pilot reserves are very high. In wartime, all that is needed is to build aircraft and provide temporary training. Therefore, under absolutely fair conditions and without the use of land-based air defense equipment, the U.S. Air Force is theoretically capable of taking on all the air forces in the world.