What appears to many critics as contradiction or appeasement is better understood as strategic adaptation under conditions of systemic transition. As American power becomes more domestically constrained and politically unpredictable, middle and allied powers are no longer treating U.S. leadership as an immovable constant. Instead, they are diversifying economic ties, reopening channels with rival great powers, and quietly insulating themselves from the risk of entrapment in future conflicts. This behaviour is not ideological drift, nor is it a repudiation of Western values. It is a rational response to shifting power realities one that aligns closely with classic theories of bandwagoning when resistance appears costly and long-term certainty elusive.