The Anglo-American Struggle: A Never-Ending Battle, Even in the West

“They will not fight you (even) in a body, except in fortified cities, or from behind walls. Their hearts are divided because they are a people who do not understand.” (Quran 59:14)

This verse from the Quran captures the essence of the apparent unity between Europe and the United States in global politics, especially on contentious issues like the conflict in Gaza. While both powers outwardly present a united front on the need for Military intervention and the displacement of Gazans, the reality is far more complex. Much like the enemies described in the verse, Europe and the U.S. may seem aligned, but their internal divisions are impossible to ignore. A stark example of this disunity can be seen in their contrasting approaches to the war in Ukraine.

For those who believed the Anglo-American struggle was confined to the Eastern world—centred on Middle Eastern conflicts, Chinese expansionism, or Russian aggression—think again. The rift between Europe and the United States is no longer limited to foreign policy in distant lands; it has crept into the heart of the Western alliance itself. Now, the two sides wrestle over the very future of Western security, governance, and economic stability. The struggle between these longtime allies has left a glaring vacuum in global leadership, raising unsettling questions about the future of world order.

Europe’s Defence Burden: An Economic Crisis in the Making

NATO’s Secretary-General, Mark Rutte, has called on European nations to significantly increase their military spending, pushing for an investment exceeding 3% of GDP. However, for many European countries, such an increase is financially crippling. Defence spending is meant to bolster a nation’s security, yet for Europe, it threatens to deepen economic inequalities and erode social stability.

Since 2007, public sector debt in the UK and EU member states has skyrocketed—from 43% of GDP to a peak of 77% in 2020. The financial aftershocks of the 2008 economic crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the energy crisis stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have already left European economies battered. Now, they are being asked to divert even more funds into military expansion at the expense of social services and economic development.

Germany, which only spent 1.5% of GDP on defence in 2023, and France, at 2.1%, face demands to double their budgets. The UK, despite already struggling with manpower and equipment shortages, is being pressured to contribute up to 40,000 troops for a NATO peacekeeping force in Ukraine. These economic strains will only exacerbate wealth inequality as governments are forced to choose between military obligations and funding essential public services.

America’s So-Called Peace Strategy: A Financial Necessity

While Europe struggles with mounting military costs, the United States has taken a different approach—one that some mistake for a shift toward peace. In reality, the U.S. is not stepping back due to newfound diplomatic principles; it is doing so because it can no longer afford to maintain its global military commitments at the same scale.

With a national debt exceeding $34 trillion and a domestic economy under strain, Washington faces the stark reality that it must reduce its military expenditures. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan cost the U.S. an estimated $8 trillion, leaving a nation financially drained and politically wary of further overseas entanglements. Trump’s demand that NATO allies shoulder more of the financial burden is not about strategic realignment—it is an admission that the U.S. is financially overstretched.

– COVID-19 Spending: The U.S. spent trillions on pandemic relief, pushing the national debt higher and straining its ability to fund both domestic and international priorities. 
– Ongoing Military Operations: Despite attempts to cut military costs, the U.S. maintains a vast global military presence, with operations in the Middle East, Africa, and beyond draining resources. 
– Rising Entitlement Spending: With an ageing population, Social Security and healthcare costs are growing, taking up a large portion of the federal budget and limiting funds for other areas. 
– Debt Servicing: As debt grows, the U.S. faces rising interest payments, taking up a larger share of the budget and restricting funding for military and domestic needs. 
– Infrastructure Deficit: Underinvestment in infrastructure has left the U.S. with crumbling roads and outdated services, with defence spending often prioritised over necessary domestic improvements. 
– Trade Deficit: The U.S. has long run a trade deficit, importing more than it exports, increasing reliance on foreign capital and adding financial strain.

The contrast between Europe’s forced militarisation and America’s economic retrenchment highlights the paradox of modern Western security. While European nations risk economic hardship to fill the security vacuum, the United States, once the architect of global stability, is retreating not out of principle but out of necessity.

A Vacuum in Global Leadership

For decades, the United States has served as the ultimate security guarantor for the Western world. Whether through NATO, its vast military presence in Europe, or its economic dominance, Washington dictated the terms of global leadership. However, as the Trump administration actively distances itself from European security matters, the transatlantic relationship has entered a phase of uncertainty. President Trump’s unilateral decision to negotiate Ukraine’s fate with Vladimir Putin—without consulting European allies—has thrown European leadership into disarray.

While European leaders scramble to react, the world watches in disbelief. The absence of clear U.S. leadership has opened the door for rivals like Russia and China to expand their influence. The U.S. withdrawal from its traditional role in Europe is not simply about shifting priorities; it signals a fundamental change in the West’s global posture. The once-unbreakable alliance between the U.S. and Europe is now marred by distrust, making coordinated international action increasingly difficult.

The Muslim World’s Untapped Potential for Leadership

It is not Russia or China that should be exploiting this vacuum in global leadership—it should be a united Muslim world. With vast natural resources, strategic geographic positioning, and a population exceeding 1.9 billion, the Muslim world possesses all the potential to emerge as a dominant force in global politics. The Middle East and North Africa hold nearly 60% of the world’s proven oil reserves and 45% of its natural gas, granting immense economic leverage. Meanwhile, nations like Türkiye, Malaysia, and Indonesia have demonstrated remarkable technological advancements, proving that the Islamic world can lead in innovation and governance.

Yet, internal divisions, foreign interference, puppet rulers, and a lack of unified strategy have prevented the Muslim world from asserting its rightful influence. If the Muslim world could overcome these puppet regimes and geopolitical rivalries created by the West, they would have the power to shape global affairs—not as passive actors reacting to Western disarray but as a formidable bloc setting the agenda for a new world order. A unified Muslim world, leveraging its economic strength and technological advancements, could present an alternative to the declining Western model and serve as a stabilising force in global politics.

The Never-Ending Anglo-American Struggle

The Anglo-American struggle has always been about more than just military engagements in the East. It is about leadership, economic priorities, and the ideological divide between interventionism and self-preservation. Today, that struggle has come home, playing out not just in diplomatic meetings and military decisions but in the economic and political realities facing both sides of the Atlantic.

As Europe strains under the burden of defence spending, inequality deepens, and political fractures widen. Meanwhile, America’s so-called shift toward peace is nothing more than a recalibration forced by financial limitations. The struggle between these allies will continue—not just over foreign policy, but over the very direction of the Western world itself.

One thing remains certain: the Anglo-American struggle is far from over, and for those who thought it was just about the East, it’s time to think again.