In 2007 NATO coined the term “weapons of finance”; referring to a new type of aggression that would constitute an act of war and which could be answered legally by military retaliation.
Interestingly, in NATO’s “Towards a Grand Strategy for an Uncertain World” the authors cited the possibility that China might cash in its massive dollar reserves as an example of a weapon of finance. Put another way, China could insist on payment of the huge promissory voucher owed to it by the United States, and this, according to the new doctrine, would constitute an act of war to which NATO could respond militarily.
In the same document, they also referred to what they call “Abuse of Financial Leverage”, sometimes called “rogue aid”, which means the use of economic power to gain disproportionate influence in a foreign country over their policies, alliances, and access to their resources. This is also regarded as an act of aggression which warrants retaliation, including military attack.
O Egypt! If you are paying attention, that’s NATO telling you that a coalition of foreign powers are currently waging war on your country.