"It's a Disaster": European Countries Refuse to Take a Stand Against U.S. Violations of Int'l Law
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Summary
Takeaways
- ❖European countries, with few exceptions, adopted 'united ambiguity' regarding the US-Israel war on Iran, neither condemning nor supporting it.
- ❖Allowing US military base usage while refusing direct involvement highlights a contradictory European stance.
- ❖Italy's position of acknowledging international law violations but refusing to condemn them is framed as more damaging than denial, as it de-legitimizes the norm itself.
- ❖Spain stood out by unequivocally denouncing the war and refusing the use of its bases for the conflict.
- ❖The guest argues Europe's ambiguity stems from a right-wing political shift across the continent, not merely fear of US retaliation.
- ❖This European response undermines NATO's credibility by severing transatlantic trust and inadvertently benefits Russia by legitimizing a 'survival of the fittest' international order.
Insights
1Europe's 'United Ambiguity' Undermines International Law
Professor Tachi characterizes Europe's response to the US-Israel war on Iran as a 'disaster' due to its 'united ambiguity.' Most European countries have avoided condemning the alleged illegal US-Israeli attack while also not supporting it, often permitting the US to use military bases within their territories. This stance, she argues, directly counters Europe's stated commitment to multilateralism and international law, significantly eroding its credibility on the global stage.
Tachi states, 'Most other European countries have been united in their ambiguity. They have neither condemned the illegal US-Israeli attack on Iran nor have they supported it... many of these countries have actually allowed the US to use military bases based in their countries.' She adds, 'That ambiguity is basically another nail in the coffin of our credibility, our European credibility when it comes precisely to those norms.'
2Italy's Stance: Recognizing Violation Without Condemnation
The Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, acknowledged that US and Israeli actions violated international law but explicitly stated, 'We neither condone nor condemn.' Tachi finds this position more disturbing than denying the violation, as it implicitly unrecognizes the international legal norm itself, suggesting that recognizing a violation without consequence devalues the law.
Tachi explains, 'What my prime minister George Melone has said has been um what Israel and the United States have done violates international law. Good. Yeah, fine. Yeah, we agree. But she didn't follow it with the next sentence of basically saying, 'And therefore we condemn it.' In fact, she followed it with the next sentence saying, 'We neither condone nor condemn.' Now, to me, that is actually even worse than denying the violation of international law.'
3Spain's Contrarian Position on International Law
In contrast to most European nations, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez unequivocally denounced the US-Israeli war on Iran. Spain also refused the use of jointly operated bases on its territory for the conflict, emphasizing Europe's foundation on multilateralism and international law.
The host notes, 'The Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez has unequivocally denounced the USIsraeli war on Iran and refused the use of jointly operated bases on Spanish territory for that purpose.' Sanchez is quoted saying, 'Europe is based on the principles of multilateralism and shared decisions, not unilateralism, international law, peace, respect of a peaceful coexistence between nations and society... A war that the Spanish government and I would say the entirety of Spanish society has condemned from the first moment. We do not support it and think it is illegal.'
4European Ambiguity Driven by Right-Wing Political Shift
Tachi dismisses fear of Trump's reaction as the primary reason for Europe's neutral stance, arguing that past instances showed Europe's resilience when standing firm. Instead, she attributes the ambiguity to a continent-wide right-wing political wave. Many European governments are either far-right (like Italy) or center-right governments that fear the rise of the far-right and adopt parts of their agenda, leading to alignment with positions similar to Trump's.
Tachi states, 'The reason why I think that this is an explanation that held in the past more than it does today is that we've already had more than a year of this, right? I mean, we've had a year of Trump threats to Europe... and actually the evidence suggests that when Europeans actually straighten their backs, the world does not fall on their heads.' She then posits, 'Many of these governments are actually on a very similar page to that of Donald Trump.'
5Impact on NATO and Russia's Advantage
Europe's ambiguous response further undermines NATO's credibility by severing transatlantic trust, which is fundamental to Article 5 collective defense. Tachi questions whether the US under Trump would honor Article 5. This weakening of international norms and alliances inadvertently benefits Russia, which thrives in a 'survival of the fittest' world where international law is disregarded, as demonstrated by its actions in Ukraine.
Tachi explains, 'It fundamentally undermines the credibility of NATO, which rests on trust... does anyone actually think that if Europe or a European country would be in danger, the United States led by Donald Trump would come to the rescue?' She adds, 'Vladimir Putin very much agrees that international law is not a relevant frame to determine whether a country should invade another... to have a world in which it's the survival of the fittest... is a world which Vladimir Putin is very comfortable with.'
Lessons
- Recognize the subtle but profound erosion of international legal norms when violations are acknowledged but not condemned, as this de-legitimizes the law itself.
- Analyze European political shifts, particularly the rise of the far-right and its influence on foreign policy, to understand current geopolitical alignments and ambiguities.
- Assess the long-term implications of weakened transatlantic trust on alliance structures like NATO, considering how such shifts might impact collective security and defense commitments.
- Understand how the perceived disregard for international law by major powers can empower revisionist states and contribute to a more unstable, 'survival of the fittest' global order.
Quotes
"Most other European countries have been united in their ambiguity. They have neither condemned the illegal US-Israeli attack on Iran nor have they supported it."
"That ambiguity is basically another nail in the coffin of our credibility, our European credibility when it comes precisely to those norms."
"If what you're saying is, I recognize that there is a violation, but actually I don't think there's anything wrong with it. Essentially what you're doing is you're unrecognizing the norm itself."
"Europe is based on the principles of multilateralism and shared decisions, not unilateralism, international law, peace, respect of a peaceful coexistence between nations and society."
"When they bend the knee, they simply invite more bullying from the White House."
"Many of these governments are actually on a very similar page to that of Donald Trump."
"It fundamentally undermines the credibility of NATO, which rests on trust."
"To have a world in which it's the survival of the fittest that basically you know is the name of the game is a world which Vladimir Putin is very comfortable with."
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