Horrible end is better than endless horror
Truly.
Some people have argued, that the competition between the USSR/Russia and the United States, was like the competition between Sparta and Athens. We all know how that ended... with both reduced to insignificant villages by the time the Romans rolled into town.
I think, the more apt comparison might be the competition between the Byzantine Empire and Sassanid Persia. The two spent countless treasure on fighting each other, only to be brought to their knees by the Arabs, who seemingly came out of nowhere.
This conflict has that same feeling about it - of being the last global war that is fought over white people's internal drama. Indians, Chinese, Africans, and South Americans are watching curiously, and also thankful that at least this time around they have managed to resist making it "their problem" as well.