by Rachel Stewart

As if we needed any more evidence that the world as we once knew it is way gone, just listen to the western mouthpieces of Iran squawking about “international law” while they ignore the uplifting sight of ecstatic Iranians frolicking in the streets.

The death of Ayatollah Khamenei, at the hands of America’s might and mettle, is clearly a magical moment for most Iranians. Having been through 47 years of their own internal war, they see Trump as having ended a living hell for them. If you don’t know about the extent and shape of that suffering by now, I can’t help you. I’ll have to conclude that your ignorance is wilful.

Yet every parrot on the left is using the “but international law” line. It’s a dressed-up way of saying I’m virtuous, I’m anti-American, and I’m particularly anti-Trump. I’m a good person, and the rest of you are all warmongers!

Even New Zealand’s dear old irrelevancy, and ex-PM, Helen Clark has squawked it but given her background with the United Nations and the Communist Party, there’s no surprises there. What is surprising is how many people use the mirage of international law as some kind of beacon of truth. Except it’s subjective, and increasingly so.

In Europe, every parrot in a leadership position was squawking on steroids about international law. Keir Starmer was particularly squawky, while also qualifying his conditional but non-directly involved assistance because of British citizens being caught up in the turmoil. Or something. But there is not a shred of doubt that he is acting conflicted due to the fact that Britain is – let’s be honest, for all intents and purposes, a European Islamic state. Can’t upset those Labour voters.

Here’s Winston Marshall’s take.

The only European outlier was the Dutch. The Netherlands’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tom Berendsen, stated that he could have “understanding” for the American and Israeli attacks on Iran. When asked whether those attacks were contrary to international law, he replied: “That is not for me to assess.” He added: “This Government considers international law important,” but “at the same time, I also want to be honest that international law is not the only framework that you can apply to this situation. You must also be realistic given the murderous nature of the regime in Iran.”

And there’s the rub. The revered and beloved – when it suits – international rules-based order is as dead as Monty Python’s parrot. Why? Because the United Nations is primarily responsible for the development, codification, and enforcement of it via the post-WW2 1947 UN Charter. They also have this ongoing comedy skit, and uproariously funny mess, called the Security Council.

The five permanent members – the US, UK, France, Russia, and China – naturally use their veto power to block actions that conflict with their national interests. High-profile failures to stop conflicts like, say, in Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan are just some examples of the Council's impotence. Not to mention their procedural preposterousness. Situations such as Russia presiding over the Council while fully involved in the invasion of Ukraine have been described as “absurd” by international diplomats. They’re not wrong.

And none of this is helped the UN’s own goals. Like the sex-trafficking scandal by UN peacekeepers in Bosnia and Africa, and virtually everywhere around the globe. There’s been little accountability for any of that, and the whistleblowers have been treated worse than the perpetrators.

Oh, and how about those lovely Gaza-based UN staff filmed helping Hamas slaughter Israelis on October 7? Give me a break.

So if America views Iran as the global threat they have been, and still are, then as western allies in a real world it’s a no-brainer. Squawking on about wars you don’t like but staying shtum about others that suit your anti-western bent is, well, phoney. You know it, and we see it.

The UN lost their mandate years ago. It’s an outdated, rotting system eroding from the inside out that people lost any respect for years ago. But like all huge, entrenched, and crooked organisations they won’t go down without a fight.

Except just like Monty Python’s parrot, it fell off its perch years ago, it’s whiffy and malodorous, and is well overdue for a decent burial.

Listen to the full episode of Riding Shotgun.