From the Wall Street Journal:

In fact, Europe’s commitment to international law is largely rhetorical. Like the Bush administration, Europeans obey international law when it advances their interests and discard it when it does not.

Why aren’t American politicians, activist groups, citizens, celebrities, and op-ed writers perpetually screaming for Europe to throw its inhabitants before the mercy of international bodies? And why is Europe obsessed with pointing out America’s distaste for things like the World Court? Because “international” doesn’t mean international; it means nations other than America, and Europe already fits that description whether or not it heeds this UN mandate or that WTO ruling. Europe’s effort to get America beholden to international law is best thought of as soft imperialism. There are two spheres of legal influence: America’s and everyone else’s, and Europe is just the mouthpiece for the latter. If America comes under everyone else’s, it will be, in some sense, under Europe’s jurisdiction. Despite the Left’s cuddly description, Europe isn’t asking us to collaborate on the meaning of global justice, but to abandon our own version in favor of theirs. But in the end, it’s the monumental shortcomings of theirs which necessitates the survival of ours.