The G-7 Was a Great Idea — Until it Became One Against Six
As the club that used to represent “the West” concludes its 50th summit by defining success as avoiding a major blow-up by the American guest, one wonders: What’s the point anymore?
What fun.
Photographer: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Fifty years ago, it seemed like such a good idea. At the initiative of the West German and French leaders, the six leading industrialized democracies convened their first regular meeting to manage a troubled world — problems included the collapse of the Bretton Woods system, the oil shocks and stagflation. They later became the Group of Seven, then briefly 8, then 7 again. But as this club concludes its latest summit in the Canadian Rockies by defining success merely as avoiding a rage quit by the American guest, one wonders: What’s the point anymore?
The world is on fire from eastern Europe to the Middle East and beyond, and the G-7 leaders are at odds over how to analyze, let alone solve, any of these conflicts. French President Emmanuel Macron and others want Israel to desist from further escalation against Iran. US President Donald Trump may not have wanted Israel to attack Iran while his own envoy was trying to negotiate a deal with Tehran, but now that the war is underway he seems fine with Israel finishing the job.