IMO what you see happening now is the USA actively trying to provoke a war that they can then credibly represent to the Diligents of this world as being the other side's fault ("plausible deniability" --- check that doctrine out in relation to previous US covert operations. Its all out there and & on the record)). This because the US brass are convinced that they will have to fight a war anyway one day or another to maintain their "top dog" economic/military status. Andthey have concluded (democrat and republican ---- makes little diference) that now is the moment at which that they can muster the greatest collective muscle and can thus actually --- eventually --- prevail. Conveniently breaking the EU's back in the process and leaving this as "the American century" (to quote Barrack Obama). All this according to their calculations, of course. History suggests to me the outcome might not be so clear as war is uncertain by its very nature. On all his research also the comments by ex Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during his last visit to Europe re economic war with China "which together we are goingto win" (I quote).
But where does that leave all us non-American "allies" (sic! ) --- or should I write "suckers" ---- though? Dead? Or at least destroyed, broght to our knees and forced to lick the benevolently extended American hand? No thanks! Not for me and not that to which any even remotely patriotic Aussie should ever aspire!
Its all scarily consonant with the US RAND corporation stategy document I posted previously & IMO they have been quietly preparing the ground for this since at least 2015, probably even longer since otherwise their military woud never have comissioned the RAND stuidy in the first place.
