It is worthwhile to reach a consensus with Wang Dingjun, the Chinese writer and critic when he argued that literature never dies. This agreement can be arrived at by reading a 2011 publication, The Throne of Fire, by an American author, Richard Russell Riordan Jr. In this book, during a moment of crisis and reflection, a character known as Carter Kane speaks to his sister Sadie, “Everything happens for a reason, Sadie, even bad things.”
And, yes, drawing from the lessons in the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict, we can agree that this bad thing, the war, is sadly happening, but challenging us to see the good side it carries.
Like Carter to Sadie, the conflict is challenging us to reflect on the events of the war and timely think of the need to shift from the United Nation’s vetoes to shared futures. It triggers us to see that it is high time we embraced China’s Global Security Initiative away from UN’s Old Guard on Justice.
Analytically looking at the United Nation’s principles and relating them to the current situations, we can indisputably realize that the UN is a failed body which cannot squarely and fairly execute its principles. For instance, UN’s third principle agitates for peaceful settlement of disputes. The principle vividly stresses that all members shall by peaceful means settle their disputes, ensuring that international security and peace, and justice are not endangered.
Relating to the current situation in the Middle East today, it is important to note that by October 24th 1945, both the Islamic Republic of Iran and Lebanon had become UN member states. On the other hand, Israel which was admitted by UN General Assembly Resolution 273, became a member in the later years, on 11th May 1949. In addition to these states, the United States is and has been a major world power and a veto-holding member of the United Nations Security Council.
Judging by the situation in the Middle East currently however, the United Nations has been portrayed as a limping body on crutches with the inability to deliberate its tasks. The United States which is a central member of the UN, and expected to be the core leader in overseeing peace in the region, has openly taken the front seat in stirring up and escalating disputes in the region moreover in the presence of UN.
This has been consecutively witnessed through President Trump’s bully remarks on several occasions. For example, during an interview with The New York Times at the Oval office in January 2026 shortly after a major U.S operation in Venezuela, which led to the capture of President Nicolas Maduro, Trump was quoted saying “I don’t need International Law.” He further remarked that, “Yeah, there is one thing. My own morality. My own mind. It’s the only thing that can stop me.” This was a response to whether there was any limit to his global powers as a commander in chief.
To any serious and active body like the UN, such remarks which moreover including boastful challenge of the international law should have been taken serious and consequently hold the U.S accountable. Verbal condemnation of Trump’s actions like that of the UN General Secretary, Antonio Guterres, calling it “a dangerous precedent,” yields no meaningful results to protect the international law, but rather, giving President Trump a green-light to proceed with his means. This exposes the UN as being weak and incompetent since Trump’s actions in Venezuela further contradicts UN’s first principle of “sovereign equality.”
It is no wonder that Trump has proved the world that nothing other than his morality and mind can stop him, and he is advancing in violating every principle of the UN at an alarming pace.
UN’s fourth principle calls for no threat or use of force. The principle clearly states that all member states shall refrain from the use of threat or force against the territorial integrity of any state in any other manner that contradicts the purposes of UN. However, President trump has without fail used force and threat against Iran. He recently threatened that “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again…” via his Truth Social account. This was intended to force Iran to open the Straight of Hormuz, arguably, Iran’s strongest leverage of power to evoke international intervention to resolve the matters.
The most intriguing part with the ineffectiveness of UN, was portrayed when it accepted to table the Bahrain-led UN Security Council resolution which aimed at reopening the Straight of Hormuz. Had it not been for China and Russia’s vetoing of the resolution, the draft would have authorized countries to use “all necessary means,” for which in UN language, this includes the use of military action against Iran.
China and Russia vetoed the resolution with the explanations that it was one-sided blaming Iran. As a result, they argued that the resolution would open the window for misusing the military action especially by the U.S under Trump’s threats. It was further interpreted as a move that would compromise negotiations and escalate tensions.
Sadly, even the two-week ceasefire which was initially achieved and announced by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on April 8, 2026, was later violated still in hands of U.S-Israel coalition. It is important to note that this ceasefire had been reached with China playing a behind-the-scene role of negotiations. Shortly after President Trump posting the ceasefire news on his Truth Social account with an catchment of Iran’s 10-point plan document, for which he described as “a workable basis,” Israel started hitting Lebanon making the ceasefire short lived.
Israel excused itself in bombing Lebanon saying it was not part of the ceasefire as well as President Trump reiterating the same. Consequently, Iran said there will be no ceasefire without Israel and the U.S refraining from bombing Lebanon, which looks quite impossible for Israel and the U.S.
It is thus high time we thought of switching to another global power that is peaceful and respects international law without operating on personal morality and feelings like Trump. That country should have a workable charter with clear principles like the UN’s, and that power should respect them itself. By the look of things, that is China with its Global Initiative principles. Reflecting back, we cannot imagine the number of wars a global power like U.S has evoked in the face of a silent UN which has been reduced by Trump’s bullying remarks to his own walking stick.
Failure to shift and act with the Global Security Initiative principles, Trump will continue to show the world that the UN charter and its principles are a substitute to Machiavelli’s book, The Prince, and one line therein “ the end justifies the means” means them all. No wonder his companion, Benjamin Netanyahu, also agrees prides in the belief that “History proves that, unfortunately and unhappily, Jesus Christ has no advantage over Genghis Khan. Because if you are strong enough, ruthless enough, powerful enough, evil will overcome good. Aggression will overcome moderation.”
When the beliefs of those two leaders are compared with President Xi’s belief that “The world is big enough to accommodate the common development and common progress of all countries,” we can thus tell who of the three leaders would value international law and be worthwhile to trust.
The writer is a research fellow at the Development Watch Centre.
