Playing the Game of Thrones in the real world is not easy and USA is finding it increasingly difficult to be relevant in the Asian region. I do not want to use the label Asia-Pacific Region as the very term legitimates US domination or attempted hegemony over a part of the globe which is increasing feeling uneasy with US ambitions. The misguided and some would even say illegal war launched against Iraq has now led to the worst humanitarian crisis is the contemporary world and added to this is the unending misery of Palestinians who are facing daily the violent interventions of Israeli forces in search of 3 kidnapped settlers. The spiral of violence is now out of control and the world is spinning fast toward a resolution, one way or the other. US involvement in the politics of the region lies at the very heart of the problems that Asia faces at the present moment.

Syria is a prime example. USA was very keen to intervene in a domestic power struggle in order to overthrow Assad who has held the country together and the Baathist regime has ensured social and economic development. It is the only country in the region in which Christians still feel safe and have a sense of involvement and participation. John Kerry and his boss sought to arm Syrian rebels knowing fully that the rebels were brutal and were sympathetic to al-qaeda. In the process the Syrian rebels morphed into the ISIS, an organization which is even more extremist than the al Qaeda and its affiliates like Boko Haram in Nigeria. The Middle East demands political goals which are quite distinct from American interests. American goal os the security of Israel and the oil from the region and both can be met without unnecessary and callous violence engendered by arming one group or the other in the name of "human rights" and "identity politics". The policy of favoring the SHiaas over the Sunnis in Iraq contibuted in no small measure to the success of the ISIS. And once the new state stablaizes, the politics of the Middle East will change dramatically. And in the policy of containing the ISIS, USA has to seek support from Iran and that itself should indicate how shortsighted and self defeating American war aims were alll along.

USA is trying to open yet another front against China over the Diaoyu Islands. These disputed Islands lying very close to the mainland of China have long been diputed and Japna lays claim to the Islands they call Senkaku. USA is stoking the flames of war by provoking Japan to press its claims to the Islands. Territorial disputes are usually negotiated and China has shown great statesmanship in dealing with all its territorial disputes. US and Japan have security arrangements which exclude involvement in territorial disputes and yet John Kerry is ever engaged in making provocative noises. China is the emerging power in the East and USA cannot wish it away.

And it is the same story in Ukraine. The regime in power does not want to respect the cease fire called by the rebels in the East and USA is only interested in stoking the flames of civil war and unrest in the region. Russia has legitimate historical claims in the region and USA must learn to respect those rights. The Russian speaking population of Ukraine regards Russia as its protector and this time around Russsia is not inclined to look the other way as it did in the 1990s when the Serbian crisis unfolded.