Released Thursday, the 2025 National Security Strategy is also a window into the dramatic shift in America’s official world view under Trump.
so i was wondering what a “vassal state” would be. so asked gemini+ very interesting, but how much of it is true? how can i trust Gemini+ or anything for that matter? i will ask smart people to have a boo?
at the end of the chat i asked for a 60-second “elevator pitch” summary. see the bottom of the chat, or for convenience for those who can’t/ woon’t use a llm or ai. or whevs these things are.:
The 60-second elevator pitch for our discussion on the “vassal state” scenario is:
The North American Standoff
A “vassal state” for Canada means retaining the flag but surrendering fundamental sovereignty, driven by U.S. policy.
The U.S. enforcement mechanism would not be a military invasion, but economic coercion: leveraging its dominant trade position to threaten immediate financial ruin and suspending critical security cooperation (like Five Eyes intelligence).
However, Canada has potent counter-levers. A full border closure or a 100% export tariff on auto parts would shut down U.S. assembly lines in days. Cutting electricity exports in winter would cause a public safety crisis in the U.S. Northeast. This is mutually assured economic destruction.
The crucial question is who can withstand the pain longer.
If this conflict escalates to the point of a shooting war, Canada would invoke NATO Article 5. That unprecedented move would compel NATO allies to decide between defending Canada and preserving the U.S.-led alliance, likely resulting in the total collapse of the Alliance itself. Are you comfortable that the world is ready to back Canada against the U.S.?
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