In the brutal world of geopolitics, great powers are like crocodiles, and small states need to be very careful even when they appear to smile.
In view of recent affairs — the economic and military coercion emanating from US President Donald Trump's administration — such reasoning is relevant today more than ever.
Dangers lie not only in the breakdown of the international rules-based order, but also in how the world reacts.
For further reading, please visit The Straits Times here, where this article was first published on 26 January 2026.