International Law

"I am not starry-eyed about international law. I recognize that, frequently, it has failed millions around the world, and will continue to do so. I recognise also that international law has not alleviated poverty or promoted social justice or health arounf the globe. But do recent events justify a wholesale change of approach? In the aftermath of 9/11, the "war on terrorism" has been used to justify an assault on established international legal rules. One has to be clear that 9/11 did not require the rules to be suspended, or even abandoned altogether. Even before that day George W. Bush's administration had walked away from new international rules tackling global warming and biological weapons, and had been taking active steps to undermine the International Criminal Court. Even so, it is not the case that the United States has turned its back on the entire body of international law, or even most of it: the US is broadly committed to international free trade rules, for example those of the World Trade Organization and the North American Free Trade Agreement."

(Lawless World, Phillipe Sands)