In the geopolitical jungle, it’s the survival of the fittest
In the media image: History in HD on Unsplash
The unanimous condemnation of the American attack on Venezuela is 'hypocritical', says Andreas Kinneging, Professor of Philosophy of Law, in Dutch newspaper ‘De Telegraaf’: 'We should humbly thank the Americans for still looking out for us.'
While almost all experts have condemned the violent arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro by the United States, Andreas Kinneging argues that this is nothing new under the sun: 'Clinton, Bush, Obama: under the guise of defending human rights and democracy, these presidents violated the sovereignty of various countries.'
Kinneging is critical of the double standards in international law: 'It's very simple and tribal: if one of “us” does it, it's okay. But if Trump does it: it’s wrong.' According to the professor, the pursuit of ideals is a valuable endeavour, but it is equally important to remain realistic: 'International law is only safeguarded if it is backed by sufficient clout.' And that's not the case, according to him: 'The reality is that the geopolitical world is a jungle. In the end, when push comes to shove, it’s the survival of the fittest. That's why a balance of power is so important and we should humbly thank the Americans for still looking out for us.'