3Trees, I haven't seen you in ages! Have you been here all along, and I am dense?
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If you are the US (I don't know if you're from there), then you are probably running in this global economy worry-race. He is behind -- probably a country less stable than the US, or dominant. Associating with another country trying to keep up, that is not really capable of pulling him forward.
This is, of course, assuming it might be a political dream.
He jumps to the forefront (like Venezuela, China, India, and Russia have done lately) and instead of befriending you civilly, he taunts you and tries to get you to fear him.
To you, it seems an immature method that will not work. You probably perceive him as annoying. In practice, he tried to get your attention in various ways, but never offers a selfless gesture of loyalty.
He is fickle. At one point you seem to almost want his attention or friendship, but he is on to another figure that can make him look more prominent... using relationships to move himself upward.
He also expects you to want to use his methods, which at no point do you sympathize with. Eventually he cloaks you -- imposes his methods on you, expecting you to appreciate it. He has intruded in many ways, and never in mutually-beneficial ways.