"... Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold; ..."

Western alliance is centered around the USA. With pivot gone there is not "Western" Alliance to speak of. Never forget before USA took control the "West" killed 120,000,000 of its own in mere 31 years 1914-45 in wars, camps, collectivizations et al.

USA is not coming soon to its senses because it is broke. Ten yeas ago an economic "guru" predicted 100 years of falling prices. In Trump's 4-8 years, goodbye Western Alliance. Humpty Dumpty has fallen from the wall.

And there is no new centre in sight- Brexit Britain? France? Canada? Germany? LOL. How about Ukraine? But the likes of Ibbitsons can not be faulted for dreaming in technicolor. Diehards die hard.