US Boycotts G20, Demands Final Say: 'Freedom' for Me, not Thee
South Africa accurately calls it “coercion by absentia,” a diplomatic maneuver perfected by powers who demand compliance without participation. This isn't new; recall the US refusal to ratify the Kyoto Protocol or the International Criminal Court, yet demanding global adherence to its dictates. The 'priorities run counter to US policy' is D.C.-speak for 'you're not doing what we tell you to do,'
likely regarding anything that doesn't prioritize fossil fuels or unconditional support for certain allies. One might wonder at what point the 'rules-based order' becomes less about rules and more about who gets to write (and veto) them. The irony of lecturing nations on democracy while attempting to undermine consensus via an empty chair seems lost on some. How many sovereign nations must be
collectively ignored before the 'global community' starts questioning who truly benefits from this arrangement?