Trump Didn’t Destroy the ‘Rules-Based International Order’

Accusations have burgeoned that President Donald Trump is determined to destroy the “rules-based international order” established after World War II. Some of his actions certainly resemble old-style, 19^th century imperialism. His initial demand that Denmark sell Greenland to the United States fits that description. One could readily envision previous presidents such as Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, or William McKinley making a similar move for U.S. territorial aggrandizement. Trump is a rather unashamed imperialist, willing to use threats or even military force to bully other nations.

However, despite the recent surge in warnings around the world (especially in Europe) that his actions are wrecking an effective, rules-based international system, that allegation is unfounded. The so-called rules-based system that the United States and its Western allies established has always been fraudulent and self-serving. Even some who bemoan the loss of that arrangement, such as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, have had to concede (however grudgingly) that the system has defects. According to Carney,

We knew the story of the international rules-based order was partially false — that the strongest would exempt themselves when convenient, that trade rules were enforced asymmetrically. And we knew that international law applied with varying rigor depending on the identity of the accused or the victim.

The reality has been far more stark, ugly, brutal, and hypocritical than Carney’s sanitized version.  Despite their pious, idealistic statements throughout the decades, U.S. and allied leaders have waged numerous wars of aggression, selectively empowered corrupt, murderous tyrants as clients, stolen land and other resources from disfavored nations, and embraced flagrant double standards with respect to both international law and basic ethics.