Scholars warn US military supremacy has severed Washington from international law

Deutsche Welle featured Professor Mary Ellen O'Connell analyzing how the United States has increasingly diverged from international legal norms over recent decades, prioritizing military expansion over adherence to global governance frameworks. The shift represents a fundamental break from America's historical claim to champion international law and global legal institutions. This matters to Americans because scholars argue the erosion of US commitment to international law undermines global stability, weakens multilateral institutions, and sets precedent for other powers to similarly disregard legal constraints. The analysis reflects growing international debate about American exceptionalism and its consequences for the rules-based international order.