MANILA -- Peaceful conflict resolution has ceased to be a dominant paradigm of international relations. On the contrary, with the sole remaining superpower declaring preemptive strikes to be a strategic prerogative, and Washington's military supremacy virtually unopposed, political modesty has disappeared -- and with it all inhibition to use military might to achieve political objectives.
The militarization of international relations, or to be more precise, the militarization of U.S. foreign policy, is not solely the result of 9/11. It is mainly a consequence of the breakdown of the old bipolar world order with the collapse of the Soviet Union.
How much the international system has changed became apparent in the months leading up to the Iraq war. In spite of widespread international criticism, the opponents of military intervention lacked the means to prevent what many have termed an illegal invasion.