By: Atle Hetland
We live in a time when countries want to be on their own and independent, and at the same time, cooperate with the rest of the world. Formal international cooperation has become less than before, not only because of the ongoing Corona pandemic, but because big countries feel they can do just as well or better on their own, not having to contribute as much to the running of international organisations, such as the United Nations and its many specialised agencies. If they are alone, they can set even more of the trade and other cooperation rules. Military might has become less direct, although it is still there, including that of the rearmament of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) through its 30 member states, where the USA wants to contribute less and the European members and partners more.