Donald Trump: United States President Donald Trump remarked that his country’s troops had captured Nicolas Maduro, the President of Venezuela, after carrying out a large-scale strike. Could this be the start of the World War III (WW3)?
Has Trump Did The Right Thing Under International Law?
The Guardian spoke to many experts that remarked that the United States has violated the UN charter terms. As per article 2(4), states should refrain from the use of military force against other states while respecting their overall sovereignty.
Geoffrey Robertson KC, a founding head of Doughty Street Chambers and a former president of the UN war crimes court in Sierra Leone, remarked that the US attack on Venezuela was contrary to the UN charter’s article 2(4). He added that the Trump administration has committed the supreme and the worst crime.
Elvira Domínguez-Redondo, a professor of international law at Kingston University, termed the US operation as unlawful use of force and a crime of aggression against another country. In contrast, Susan Breau, a professor of international law and a senior associate research fellow at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies remarked that the US attack could have been termed lawful if Trump was acting in self-defence or got a resolution passed from the UN.
How Will Donald Trump Defend His Actions?
The United States may argue that it acted in self-defenCe because Venezuela was harbouring a “narco terrorist organization” and supplying narcotics in their country.
Susan Breau added there is not any proof that Venezuela was the origin country of those drugs and it was Maduro who was governing them.
Can the United States Face Sanctions?
Truth be told, the United Nations is a puppet with absolutely no powers, especially when it comes to a superpower like the United States. It may succumb to global pressure and impose arms embargos, trade restrictions or travel bans but all of them are highly unlikely, given the stature of USA and its support among other nations. The five permanent members of the council – the United States itself, China, Russia, United Kingdom and France – have a veto. Interestingly, the UK and France are USA allies, meaning no action is likely against the United States.
What Precedent Could This Set Globally?
If USA escapes without sanctions, it would encourage Russia and China to do similar things against Ukraine and Taiwan or even Japan. All of this could end up damaging the world system and mean that the mighty superpowers can do anything, even illegal things, without worrying or responsible to the world about it.
