The UN Security Council's inaction is blurring the lines between permitted and prohibited actions, leading to death and destruction worldwide. The permanent members' use of the veto is seen as a shield and a weapon, affecting millions. The UN Charter is often disregarded, and the fate of nations hangs in the balance.

Every violation of international law invites the next. From Afghanistan to Iran, and across Iraq, Libya, Syria, Ukraine, Gaza and Venezuela, the line between what is permitted and what is prohibited has been steadily blurred by the complicit inaction of the United Nations Security Council. Wielding the veto as both a shield and a weapon, its permanent members act without grounding in the UN Charter. They play with the fate of millions, leaving a trail of death and destruction. Until recently,...