America's self-defeating pattern of disregarding international law

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The United States' military strikes in Iran are not isolated acts, but part of a pattern of hegemonic overreach.

From the brazen seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January 2026, under the pretense of "fighting drug terrorism" – a thinly veiled bid to seize Venezuela's vast oil reserves, to America's repeated threats to "obtain" Greenland through military or economic coercion, and to US-Israel military strikes in Tehran, these actions share a common core: maintaining America's global hegemony at any cost. The US leader's recent declaration in an interview with American media that "I don’t need international law" and that his power is constrained only by his "own morality" lays bare the American arrogance driving this agenda.

Yet history and reality firmly demonstrate that flouting international law is a self-defeating path that imperils global stability, inflicts unspeakable suffering, and erodes US interests.

First, the post-WWII international order and international law, however imperfect, are the bedrock of global stability and prosperity.

For 80 years, the system built around the UN Charter has prevented a third world war, enabling unprecedented economic growth by establishing rules for state conduct, resolving disputes peacefully, and facilitating global cooperation. This order, forged in the ashes of war, was designed to replace the law of the jungle with collective security and sovereign equality. Like any international disputes, the Iran nuclear issue can only be resolved through peaceful means under the premise of respecting international law.

When countries abide by these norms, trade flourishes, investments flow, and crises are contained. Conversely, when powerful nations like the US undermine this framework, whether by bypassing the UN to invade sovereign states or weaponizing "rules" to serve narrow interests, they create systemic instability. Disregarding international law is not just an attack on other nations; it is an assault on the very structure that has allowed the US itself to thrive.

Second, violating international law unleashes war and suffering that are nearly impossible to reverse. The cost of restoring peace and order after such lawless acts is incalculable, both in human lives and resources.

The US track record speaks volumes: The 2003 Iraq War, launched on fabricated claims of weapons of mass destruction, shattered the country's social fabric, killed hundreds of thousands of civilians, and spawned sectarian violence that persists today. Afghanistan, after 20 years of US occupation, remains mired in chaos and widespread poverty. Libya, once a stable nation, descended into warlordism following NATO's 2011 intervention, creating a humanitarian disaster.

A military intervention in Iran is even more catastrophic: Iran has already been retaliating against US bases, Israel as well as civilian targets in GCC countries. The world is now witnessing a likely regional conflagration that could disrupt global energy supplies and displace millions. 

Third, flouting international law irreparably damages US global credibility, particularly among the Global South, and ultimately backfires on US interests.

The Global South, home to most of the world's population and emerging economies, is increasingly asserting its strategic autonomy, rejecting the injustice of Western dominance. The US actions in Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan and Venezuela have already made it a pariah in many parts of the Global South, pushing countries to seek alternative partners and multilateral frameworks outside US control.

For the US, this loss of credibility has tangible consequences: diminished influence in international institutions, reduced access to emerging markets, and increased resistance to its foreign policies.

Even for a superpower, perpetual war and unilateralism are unsustainable: the Iraq War alone cost the US trillions of dollars and thousands of military lives, diverting resources from domestic needs and undermining its global standing.

In the end, for Iran and all nations, respect for sovereignty and international law is the only path to peace. And for the US, disregarding international law does not make America "great again" – it isolates it, endangers its security, and squanders the trust of the world.

The author Liu Kun is a political analyst based in Beijing.

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