A decade ago, an international court ruled unambiguously in favor of the Philippines and against China’s claims in the South China Sea. Although the arbitration no longer constrains China, it remains strategically important as the legal foundation through which states legitimize and coordinate balancing against Beijing.
The U.S. may soon face an awkward reality of its own making: to end the war with Iran, it may have to make peace with a state it still designates as a sponsor of terrorism. That contradiction is not just rhetorical. It may prove to be the central obstacle to turning the truce into peace.
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