The Braying Superpower: When Donkey Diplomacy Meets Tiger States

 

Long ago in the mountains of Qian, where no donkey had ever been seen, a merchant brought one from distant lands. The people, unsure of its purpose, left it grazing at the forest’s edge.

A mighty tiger, encountering this strange beast for the first time, froze in fear. The donkey’s towering frame and thunderous bray sent the tiger fleeing—convinced it faced a supernatural threat.

But with time, the tiger grew bold. It observed the donkey’s hollow bravado: the kicks that missed, the aimless braying, the clumsy defiance. Finally, the tiger pounced, tearing through the donkey’s throat. What once seemed formidable proved feeble—all bluster, no bite.

The Modern Parallel: Superpowers Exposed

Like the donkey, so-called "superpowers" today rely on:

·       Theatrics over strength (empty threats, performative sanctions)

·       Legacy fear (reputation from past wars, not current competence)

·       Strategic blindness (Afghanistan retreat, Ukraine stalemate, Gaza hypocrisy)

The tigers of our age—emerging powers and resilient nations—now see through the braying. They circle, testing weaknesses:

·       Russia exposing NATO’s hollow unity

·       China revealing America’s industrial decay

·       BRICS dismantling the dollar’s dominance

Moral: True power isn’t imported; it’s earned. And every donkey’s hour ends when the tiger stops flinching.

Tags: #Geopolitics #RiseAndFall #SuperpowerMyth #BRICS #DeclineOfTheWest #AncientWisdom #TigerEconomies #StrategicFailure