Inevitably, the world will be split between those committed to peace and harmony, and those who want to fight to secure dominance
3-MIN READ3-MIN ListenAndrew ShengPublished: 8:30pm, 13 Mar 2026The US-Israeli attacks on Iran have profound implications for the global governance order. For America, the world’s mightiest power, to attack another nation without congressional or UN approval condemns the rules-based order to the dustbin of history.Governance is about checks and balance by rules, self-restraint or simply a humble appreciation that waging “forever wars” often ends up in self-destruction. War is such an extreme and costly measure it should only be undertaken after careful deliberation, domestic support and international endorsement, with clearly defined goals, operational costs and benefits, as well as a coherent exit strategy.
Given the murky fog of war from misinformation and disinformation, a few historical insights frame the future within blurry boundaries.
First, regime change using only air power rarely succeeded, either in the second world war or Vietnam wars. As experience with Iraq’s Saddam Hussein and Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi showed, you merely replace an autocrat with a chaotic regime, with little chance of well-functioning democratic outcomes. Good governance doesn’t happen overnight – it requires long consultations and farsighted leaders to agree on a way forward.
How US-Israeli strikes on Iran are sending shock waves through global energy markets
