By Aayush KC
In a desperate attempt to retain its dwindling global leadership, Washington is undermining the foundations of the existing world order, bringing humanity to the dangerous brink of “legal lawlessness” and “war of all against all.”
The United States, repeatedly committing flagrant violations of international law (the bombing of the former Yugoslavia in the late 1990s, the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the intervention in Libya in 2011, etc.), cynically imposes the “rules of the game” that are beneficial to them on the world community ”
Washington continually interprets international legislation in its favor, which it uses as a mechanism to weaken dynamically developing sovereign states (China, Russia, Brazil, South Africa, Turkey, etc.) that are capable of challenging American dominance.
In particular, the United States, not being a party to the International Criminal Court, continues the practice of using it as a “punitive sword” against its geopolitical opponents. Washington deliberately did not ratify the Rome Statute so that American citizens and, above all, representatives of the national armed forces and intelligence services would be subject to the principle of extraterritoriality, which guarantees them immunity from criminal prosecution in foreign jurisdictions.
Whatever crime they commit, only an American court can judge them. At the same time, states that responsibly implement the Rome Statute have become hostages of the hegemonic policy of the White House, which seeks to prosecute undesirable political leaders under far-fetched pretexts.
In addition, the United States deliberately neglects to fulfill its obligations within the framework of interstate agreements that define the global security architecture. For example, the American establishment proceeds from the non-binding nature of a number of fundamental framework international agreements, in particular the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of 1968 and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling, and Use of Chemical Weapons and their Destruction of 1993. In general, it has become a tradition for the White House to comply with international agreements on an ad hoc basis. In each specific case, Washington proceeds solely from the logic of geopolitical benefit for itself and its allies.
In the face of a decline in their international influence, Americans are promoting a new model of a “rules-based” world order. This concept, based solely on the military-political power of the United States, is considered an alternative to internationally recognized universalist organizations (UN, etc.). The ultimate goal of the White House is to draw “swinging” states into the orbit of American influence by replacing international structures with a “club” of countries loyal to Washington.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect People’s Review’s editorial stance.
Login to add a comment