There’s a lot of talk about “US closest ally in this or that area.”
Right now, “Israel is the closest US ally in the ME!” is plastered everywhere.
What makes an ally? Or a good ally?
Seems to me we have “good allies” when the US foots the bill for them (to the detriment of US citizens).
Is Ukraine a US ally? Why?
Is Afghanistan a US ally? How?
https://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/statistics/highlights/top/top2210yr.html
according to our trading partners (most recent stats) our top 3 are Canada, Mexico and China
the Beatles couldn’t buy love either
It would likely be based on historical relationships, economic partnerships, cultural and political similarities/interests.
Agree.
Any country including the US will ally with another country as long as it serves their interest. And absolutely nothing wrong with that.
Until you start counting on it and it’s unreliable in critical times.
Does trade allies make?
The key portion of your post (my Bold alteration).
Which of those applies to Ukraine? Afghanistan? Even Israel?
Good. Big picture now, are those interests diverging more now than ever before?
I didn’t venture to name any specific countries as the topic of the history of geopolitics is not my forte, but if I were to throw out a name or two, the UK and Canada would come to mind. The sudden love for Ukraine is all about being anti-Russia-Putin.
We are pissing away money in my three. Trying to buy love.
Link to @conan 's excellent related thread.
Critprogs want $80B for the IRS to take money from US citizens to send to Israel (Ukraine, Afghanistan) to kill people.
Meanwhile, US citizen kids can’t read or do math, mental illness and drug addiction are rampant. Vets are living on cardboard boxes in the street.
The US military is a shamble and a shell-completely combat ineffective and more so every day.
Inflation is choking the life out of the people-who are spending savings to get by. Creating another generation who will have to die in the workplace. That blocks upward mobility for the younger people.
While we import millions of impoverished dependents. And the associated criminality.
The United States is failed and failing. A police state on the verge of losing any semblance of order.
More like trying to fool the public into a state of conviction that spending this money is virtuous, All the while connected elites get to skim off the top.
Any country’s political leaders might choose to ally with another country’s political leaders if it serves their own personal interests. There is a lot wrong with that.
That gets to the point of choosing leaders whose interests align with the peoples’ interests.
That’s just it isn’t it? It always come down to expense of American people.
And in a nutshell, that sums up the Democrat Party’s plan and vision for the American people, excluding themselves, their families, friends, and the wealthy who kiss their ass.
No organic intellectuals?
Missing in action…oh wait it’s Saturday. 
maybe not completely, but it is a good start… besides, you don’t want to kill your primary sources of food- unless you are in the early USSR…
