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The internal and external initiatives – ranging from the attempted coup in the past to latest moves and statements – erode both domestic and international legal frameworks. But that’s not all.

They jeopardize the fundamental meaning of what we mean by.

The moral purpose of civilized society is to prevent the dominant from preying upon and using the less powerful. Without this, we could find ourselves permanently immersed in a brutish war where only the fittest prevails.

This concept is embedded of America’s founding documents. This is also the heart of the modern framework of international relations advocated by the US, built on international cooperation, popular sovereignty, fundamental freedoms, and the legal authority.

But, it is a delicate principle, easily violated by those who choose to misuse their authority. Upholding it necessitates that the those in charge have enough integrity to avoid seeking short-term wins, and that the public demand responsibility should they falter.

Unfettered might does not make right. It makes for uncertainty, chaos, and hostilities.

Each instance entities that are wealthier and stronger prey upon those that are weaker, the framework of civilization unravels. Should such behavior are left unchecked, the structure collapses. Without intervention, the world can plunge into chaos and war. History provides ample precedent.

Our current reality is a global community with deepening divides. Authority and resources are increasingly centralized than in recent memory. This creates conditions for the privileged to take advantage of the weaker because they act with a sense of above the law.

The wealth of certain tycoons is staggering. The influence of major corporations in technology, energy, and aerospace spans numerous countries. AI is likely to consolidate wealth and power further. The offensive capability of the major powers is unmatched in recorded history.

Supported by complicit legislators and a sympathetic high court, the presidency has been turned into the most dominant and unchecked instrument of the state in recent memory.

Put it all together and you perceive the threat.

A clear connection ties previous transgressions to current provocations. Each were premised on the overconfidence of omnipotence.

You see a similar pattern in international affairs: in territorial invasions, in strategic threats, and in the rampant monopolization by massive conglomerates.

Yet, raw power does not create right. It makes for fragility, upended order, and armed conflict.

The lessons of the past reveal that laws and norms to limit the influential also protect them. Without such constraints, their endless appetite for more power and wealth eventually cause their collapse – and with them their enterprises, countries, or domains. And pave the way for global conflict.

Such disregard for rules will cast a long shadow over America and the global community – and the very idea of civilized conduct – for a long time.