Thus the Financial Times today. “Pledge to strengthen military ties to counter US influence in Asia,” elaborates the newspaper. Reading the article itself is beside the point. The title and the byline say it all. As for the future, it is anyone’s guess. Now that America is getting sidelined, the new partners will find themselves in an awkward embrace sooner or later. And America is following Europe into insignificance step by tiny step. As Britain’s example shows, prevalence in world affairs does not last all that long nowadays. But the American century is surely behind us by now. The only unknown in the old equation is climate change. As unknowns go, it is humongous. Besides, it is growing by the day. Nay, hour.