A might-is-right world

THE world is passing through one of the most volatile periods in modern history. It is more unstable today than at any time since the end of the Cold War. The international system is fragmenting with rising big-power tensions. The old order with whatever rules it had is gone. Power shifts continue to reshape the international landscape, marking the advent of a multipolar era. The disregard for international law and norms by big and regional powers has left countries having to navigate a rule-less terrain at a time of great uncertainty. Hard power has made a comeback. Powerful countries and…