I doubt he would pass up on the chance of being part of history. Marco Rubio loves to speak in grandiosity with great pomposity of speaking the great virtues of the American dream - cue his schtick about the son of a Cuban born immigrant.
His job as SOS is to instill and maintain that American exceptionalism mantra come hell or high water; plus, to rope back the Latin American countries back squarely and firmly to the American dominion. I am sure some or most of you are aware that's there is an ongoing fake issue with the upcoming opening of the port in Peru - push by the Americans of course. Asia is too far from the American geophysical, geographical location and is going to be increasingly costly to try and contest an area where China not only has the home field advantage, but also have the economic advantages - China is the largest trading partner of all ASEAN countries including the Quad members of India, Australia, Japan including South Korea.
In my opinion while America is going to pursue its most aggressive decoupling from China as well as their anti-China destabilizing moves within the ASIA-PACIFIC region of course including egging the Taiwanese destructive dream of separation, at the same time America will be busy to try and consolidate all the countries closest to her periphery that can be utilized for its own geopolitical interest and economic vitality.
I am also of the opinion that America (it's cohorts) will try to engineer a conflict in the ASIA-PACIFIC region and the prime candidate as I have maintained and posited in the past will be the Philippines.
Why? If you look at all the recent economic development/growth vectors in the world, it's the ASEAN bloc countries that have grown in spade, and the bloc where China has reorient it's trade resulting in a positive growth from a year on year basis that saw a decline last year of $702 Billion from a high of $970 Billion back in 2022. China signing and becoming part of the RCEP which is projected to account 30% of the world's GDP by 2030 with China cementing it's lead thereby hold in the region.
But out of these ASEAN countries, only the PH has shown an immaturity and a disinterest and unwavering fealty to the U.S. and one of the countries in ASEAN that's been leap frogged by yet another commie country that's Vietnam.
Imagine a scenario where the ASIA-PACIFIC region will be mired and engulf in conflict while the U.S. offer tepid support in material, sanctions, military arms and financial support ( I don't foresee the U.S. under Trump going to war against China) all the while busy increasing their military budget, economic activities in manufacturing, possibly strengthening their supply and logistics while remaining physically untouched, undamaged from the ravage of war.
When all the dust settles in Asia, China will definitely come out on top, that's not even in dispute, but China will also take hit economically, maybe militarily, diplomatically perhaps (making countries like Vietnam either skittish or even more emboldened to put up a barrier to China) due to the severe beating the Philippines will receive. Australian moderates will use such a scenario to cement and forge their relationship with the west. Australians are white people and they will never ever see themselves as part of Asia come what may.
Look at the moves they have made in Argentina - stopped China's further inroads in the country. Managed to somehow influence Brazil not to allow Venezuela as part of BRICS ( I don't know if Lula regretted his decision, since he like most idiots thought that heir Trump could never be voted back again) and the recent attempted assassination to Evo Morales of Bolivia.
The Latin American hemisphere offers the U.S. abundance of minerals needed, cheap source of labour (while average Americans decry illegals, not so for the rich class) for the 21st century technology and economy and this is an are where China is at great disadvantage which is an inverse of the U.S. position in the ASIA-PACIFIC.
Having said that, I don't know how effective Rubio is going to be in his capacity as the potential next SOS because everything really hinges on Donald Trump's leadership and strategy to make Rubio's tenure a success.
ranma is a classic.
