In both Germany and South Korea, economic strength seems to have produced an illusion of policy independence that is opening a chasm between the two countries and their allies – a chasm that revelations of US spying, on Merkel in particular, have deepened. Germany and South Korea, however, will gain little, and risk much, if they downgrade their alliance ties in favor of commercially motivated, if unofficial, neutrality.
在德国和韩国，经济优势似乎营造出一个政策独立的幻觉，而这一幻觉正在两国与其盟友之间形成裂痕——并因为美国的间谍行为（特别是针对默克尔的行为）而深化。但是，德国和韩国如果因为采取出于商业动机的中立（尽管不是正式中立）而弱化它们与盟友的关系的话，其风险将远大于利益。不论它们收获什么短期利益，都无法弥补它们在俄罗斯和中国面前的战略弱势。