George Washington on National Alliances

Our Founding Fathers truly did have great wisdom to pass down to us. When we consider how we interact with nations, this is a good bit of advice to keep in mind.

"'Tis folly in one Nation to look for disinterested favors from
another; that it must pay with a portion of its Independence
for whatever it may accept under that character; that by such
acceptance, it may place itself in the condition of having given
equivalents for nominal favours and yet of being reproached
with ingratitude for not giving more. There can be no greater
error than to expect, or calculate upon real favours from Nation
to Nation. 'Tis an illusion which experience must cure, which
a just pride ought to discard."
--George Washington