And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you.

Ask what you can looking for perfect allies.

They were Protestant Republicans fighting for independence against the British Empire.

And yet, when the war demanded it,

they benefited from the help of Spain, a Catholic monarchy with its own empire, its own ambitions,

and no deep ideological commitment to American liberty. Spain did not enter the war because in its heart of hearts

it believed in Jeffersonian democracy. Spain did not fight Britain because it wanted to build

a Protestant republic across the Atlantic. No, Spain entered the war because Britain was its

enemy too. And for that moment, that was enough.

Spanish forces attacked British positions across the Gulf Coast, West Florida, the Caribbean,

and the southern flank of the empire. Spain sent supplies. Spain provided money. Spain applied pressure. Spain forced Britain to divide its

attention, stretching its military resources to fight a wider war than Britain wanted to fight. America

did not become Spanish as a result. America did not become a Catholic monarchy. The founders did not

surrender their principles because Spain had helped to weaken Britain. They used the opening.

And here is the part that matters. America and Spain did not remain permanent friends.

After the revolution, they bickered again. They clashed over

borders, trade, navigation rights on the Mississippi River, Florida, and the future of the continent.

Spain did not need to love American liberty in order to weaken Britain. And the Americans did not need to love Spain

to accept help against the empire that was actively trying to crush them at the time. They understood

a hierarchy of threats. They knew that Britain was the enemy in front of them in the moment, occupying their land,

taxing their people, and trying to break the rebellion.

So when Spain weakened Britain, the Patriots took that advantage.

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