You're beginning to understand that few countries have the means to survive without outside resources, and that puts the US, Russia, and China in a unique position because the landmasses of each hold valuable and necessary resources, arable land, adequate space for decent living conditions, and the vast size makes each almost unconquerable. The real struggle is protecting the rest of the globe so that they aren't forcibly annexed to become part of the "big 3" (or whatever) or colonized by the major lesser powers like went on for centuries. I generally agree we shouldn't be the world's policeman and that the world should be a place where countries trade feely among themselves for necessary resources. Unfortunately history says that it doesn't work that well - Britain (among others) had colonialism to provide needs, Germany started a war to get what it needed, etc. You might say diplomacy has generally failed when one country needs or wants something another has.
Russia had the opportunity to leave Ukraine and other places alone, but acted out of force. Europe is not without resources such as oil, coal, etc; but chose to rely on an untrustworthy source instead. When has any government or really any corporation or other partly been altruistic and looked out for the average person? Doesn't happen. Some are better at it, but in the end those in control always look out for No 1 first. I've said all along that the most destructive thing to an economy is the cost of energy ... that is the lubricant that makes the world work. Yet it seems a lesson nobody is capable of understanding. OPEC banded together to artificially inflate prices and control supply, the commodities market is rampant with global speculation, and no one seems to care about the damage ... have you seen Europeans or the EU raise any flags about that?
