How things change. We have moved on from an era in which an army was seen of little practical use, and defence budgets slashed; entered one where an army is accepted as needed at some point for looming national security threats, and defence budgets raised; just left one where an army was relied on to deliver logistical support during a county-wide virus lockdown; and are stumbling into one where an army is required to keep control of a liberal democracy. There are, of course, an army of commentators discussing this one way or the other: it's Law & Order; its's fascism; it's about time; it's the end of US global leadership (which has huge long-term implications for markets if true). US voters will get their say in November.

Yet on the latter point we have seen sympathy protests in the UK, Europe, and even as far away as New Zealand. That does not suggest people no longer care about the US, even if they abhor what has triggered these protests. Not caring would be to shrug, as the same protestors have done about many other major human rights abuses taking place globally - but quite the opposite is happening.