Simon Parsons considers this loss of confidence through the UN Charter framework, under which Article 2(4) prohibits the use of force and Article 51 permits self-defence subject to necessity and proportionality. He links US conduct in the Americas to a revived Monroe Doctrine and argues that the weakening of “Pax Americana” in Europe is placing greater responsibility on European states for their own security. Russia’s war in Ukraine and US action against Iran also raise serious questions about compliance with the Charter and the limitations of international accountability mechanisms.
Parsons is particularly concerned by reliance on a politically defined “rules-based international order” as an alternative to orthodox international law. His warning is stark: if powerful states increasingly interpret international rules according to their own national interests, other states may feel equally entitled to disregard established legal constraints on the use of force.
