The great squandering of American power

Washington's support for Israel's war tactics has eroded the influence of the US and the credibility of the rules-based order it champions.

- Bhavan Iaipragas

Realists and Pax Americana sceptics may call me naive, but I have long placed my faith in the rules-based international order so fervently championed by Washington and its allies.

There have been ups and downs - particularly during the turbulent days of Donald Trump's presidency - but never a genuine crisis of belief in this order as the best framework for maintaining peace and containing conflict.

China and Russia often dismiss this order as sheer hypocrisy, arguing that the West bends the rules whenever it suits its interests. I have held firm that, while such tendencies may occasionally arise, they remain exceptions, not the rule.

For the most part, the post-World War II multilateral institutions, laws, agreements, and principles that underpin this order - with American leadership - remain our best hope for navigating international relations without descending into a "might is right" world of lawlessness.

Some adjustments are indeed necessary to reflect the shifting global landscape, particularly as the rise of India, China and other emerging economies has reduced the US share of the global economy from 50 per cent at the war's end to about 25 per cent today.

The West's steadfast support for Ukraine, alongside aid to Taiwan and the Philippines in the face of Chinese aggression, underscores the enduring strength and relevance of this rules-based order.

But over the past year, Washington's willingness to let Israel wage its war in Gaza with impunity has rattled this confidence.

After Hamas' heinous Oct 7 attack, Washington, as Israel's main ally and arms supplier, was expected to act as a restraining force, supporting Israel's right to self-defence and restoring deterrence while upholding international law, the principle of proportionality in the conduct of war, and humanitarian standards.