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War and conflict
OpinionWorld Opinion
Andrew Sheng

Opinion | US-Israeli war on Iran makes a mockery of global governance rules

Inevitably, the world will be split between those committed to peace and harmony, and those who want to fight to secure dominance

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US President Donald Trump gestures during a visit to Verst Logistics in Hebron, Kentucky, US, on March 11. Photo: Reuters
The US-Israeli attacks on Iran have profound implications for the global governance order. For America, the world’s mightiest power, to attack another nation without congressional or UN approval condemns the rules-based order to the dustbin of history.

Governance is about checks and balance by rules, self-restraint or simply a humble appreciation that waging “forever wars” often ends up in self-destruction. War is such an extreme and costly measure it should only be undertaken after careful deliberation, domestic support and international endorsement, with clearly defined goals, operational costs and benefits, as well as a coherent exit strategy.

War settles differences through might. US President Donald Trump has clearly lost patience with diplomacy and negotiations. Decapitation strikes change the rules of engagement, making it a no-holds-barred fight until one side surrenders or both sides are exhausted into a ceasefire.
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Given the murky fog of war from misinformation and disinformation, a few historical insights frame the future within blurry boundaries.

First, regime change using only air power rarely succeeded, either in the second world war or Vietnam wars. As experience with Iraq’s Saddam Hussein and Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi showed, you merely replace an autocrat with a chaotic regime, with little chance of well-functioning democratic outcomes. Good governance doesn’t happen overnight – it requires long consultations and farsighted leaders to agree on a way forward.

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Second, the conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and Iran are about power and command over energy. No one would fight over them if they had no energy resources or strategic value. Iran, for one, lies in the heart of the Middle East where roughly half the global oil and gas resources are found. Europe, India, China, Japan and South Korea depend critically on Middle Eastern oil and gas to power their economies.

04:04

How US-Israeli strikes on Iran are sending shock waves through global energy markets

How US-Israeli strikes on Iran are sending shock waves through global energy markets
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