Paper Status Tracking
Contact us
customer@davidpublishing.com
Click here to send a message to me 3275638434
Paper Publishing WeChat

Article
Affiliation(s)

The University of Law, Leeds, United Kingdom

ABSTRACT

On 3 January 2026, the United States deployed military strikes in Venezuela and kidnapped President Nicolás Maduro Moros and his wife to sit trial in New York for drugs charges constituting a threat to American national security. If the socialist government is replaced, there is potential to reap tantamount oil supply if the deteriorated energy sector is revived. Regime changes to suit American interests were debatably evident in Iraq and Libya that has resulted in stark opposition to respect the rule of non-intervention. Fighting terrorism since the 9/11 attacks has also been part of America’s national interests. Moreover, the Trump administration has declared that Greenland should be part of America that has been disputed by Denmark and European allies. The liberal international order is under threat with international force from powerful states replacing international law. This is evident with America in Venezuela, Russia with Ukraine, China with Taiwan, and America-Israel with Iran. These contexts have circumvented authorisation from the United Nations Security Council. The Security Council is the highest legitimate authority to apply sanctions and contentiously respect self-defence of states and/or entities sponsored by states seriously threatening or encroaching international security. The regimes of multilateral institutions still matter in a realist international political system.

KEYWORDS

United States, Venezuela, Greenland, liberal international order, relative gain, realism, international law

Cite this paper

Danny Singh. (2026). The Capture of Venezuela’s President, Greenland Security and Airstrikes against Iran: A New World Order? International Relations and Diplomacy, Jan.-Feb. 2026, Vol. 14, No. 1, 1-19.

References

Adams, P. (2024). Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons. Now it’s asking why. BBC News, 5 December. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crl3ndxglwxo (accessed on 10 January 2026)

Al Jazeera. (2011). Battle for Libya: Key moments. Al Jazeera, 23 August. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2011/8/23/battle-for-libya-key-moments (accessed on 7 January 2026)

Arkes, H. P. (1986). First things: An inquiry into the first principles of morals and justice. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Barber, R. (2019). Syria: The disgraceful stain left by the United Nations Security Council Veto. The Interpreter, 24 September. Retrieved from https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/syria-disgraceful-stain-left-un-security-council-veto (accessed on 20 January 2026)

Becker, W. S. (2026). Opinion: Oil, not cocaine, is Venezuela’s most dangerous drug. The Hill, 19 January. Retrieved from https://politomix.com/the-hill/2322224/oil-not-cocaine-venezuelas-dangerous-drug/ (accessed on 21 January 2026)

Benze, Jr., J. G. (2005). Nancy Reagan: On the white house stage. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas.

Blanca, J. (2026). How the United States attack on Venezuela, abduction of Maduro unfolded. Al Jazeera, 4 January. Retrieved from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/4/how-the-us-attack-on-venezuela-abduction-of-maduro-unfolded (accessed on 6 January 2026)

Bloomfield, D. (2026). It’s really about oil, not drugs: Why Trump’s “Donroe Doctrine” is attacking Venezuela—Opinion. The Jerusalem Post, 6 January. Retrieved from https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-882475 (accessed on 7 January 2026)

Boynton, S. (2026). NATO faces “Test” on arctic security, Carney and Rutte say in Davos meeting. Global News, 21 January. Retrieved from https://globalnews.ca/news/11622756/carney-nato-arctic-security-greenland-davos/ (accessed on 22 January 2026)

Bull, H. (1977). The anarchical society: A study of order in world politics. London: Macmillan.

Burns, E. B. (1987). At war in Nicaragua: The Reagan doctrine and the politics of Nicaragua. New York City, NY: Harper & Row.

Campbell, B. C. (2008). Disasters, accidents, and crises in American history: A reference guide to the nation’s most catastrophic events. New York: Facts On File.

Carney, M. in: Vieira, P. (2026). Team Trump is livid after Canada’s Carney calls out United States coercion. The Wall Street Journal, 23 January. Retrieved from https://www.wsj.com/world/americas/canada-trump-mark-carney-davos-72f0ab78 (accessed on 26 January 2026)

Casey-Maslen, S. (2021). Nuclear weapons: Law, policy, and practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Charter of the United Nations. (1945). Charter of the United Nations, 1 United Nations Treaty Series (UNTS) XVI, 24 October. Retrieved from https://www.refworld.org/legal/constinstr/un/1945/en/27654 (accessed on 4 January 2026)

Cong, F., in: Baisie, S. (2026). United Nations Security Council weighs dangerous precedent set by United States military operation in Venezuela. Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, 6 January. Retrieved from https://www.gbcghanaonline.com/features/un-security-council-weighs-dangerous-precedent-set-by-us-military-operation-in-venezuela/2026/ (accessed on 7 January 2026)

Coombs, R. H., & Ziedonis, D. M. (1995). Handbook on drug abuse prevention: A comprehensive strategy to prevent the abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Donnelly, J. (2000). Realism and international relations. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Doyle, M. W. (1986). Liberalism and world politics. American Political Science Review, 80(4), 1151-1169. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.2307/1960861

Duncombe, C., & Dunne, T. (2018). After liberal world order. International Affairs, 94(1), 25-42. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iix234

Dunne, T., & Teitt, S. (2015). Contested intervention: China, India, and the responsibility to protect. Global Governance, 21(3), 371-391. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1163/19426720-02103003

Eliot, T. L. (1988). Gorbachev’s Afghan gambit. Berkeley, CA: University of Carolina.

Fukuyama, F. Y. (2006). America at the crossroads: Democracy, power, and the neoconservative legacy. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Gratton, P. (2026). Why Venezuela can’t pump its oil, despite world’s largest reserves. Investopedia, 15 January. Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com/why-venezuela-can-t-pump-its-oil-despite-world-s-largest-reserves-11885848 (accessed on 17 January 2026)

Hein, N. (2008). Spinning coverage: An analysis of The New York Times’ reporting on the war in Iraq in light of the United States administration’s spin and propaganda efforts. Norderstedt: GRIN Verlag.

Hobbes, T. (1651). Leviathan, or, the matter, form, and power of a common-wealth and ecclesiastical and civil. London: Green Dragan.

Huiskes, K. (2026). Timeline: The September 11 terrorist attacks. Miller Centre. Retrieved from https://millercenter.org/remembering-september-11/september-11-terrorist-attacks (accessed on 14 January 2026)

Humphreys, A. R. C. (2013). Waltz and the world: Neorealism as international political theory? International Politics, 50(6), 863-879. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1057/ip.2013.34

Hyde-Price, A. (2013). Realism: A dissident voice in the study of the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). In S. Biscop and R. G. Whitman (Eds.) The Routledge handbook of European security (pp. 18-27). Oxon: Routledge.

Ikenberry, G. J. (2018). The end of liberal international order? International Affairs, 94(1), 7-23. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/11x241

Kent, J. C., in Cohen, Z. (2026). ‘Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation’: Trump-appointed intelligence official resigns over Iran war. CNN, 18 March. Retrieved from https://edition.cnn.com/2026/03/17/politics/joe-kent-resigns-iran-war (accessed on 21 March 2026)

Keohane, R. O. (1988). International institutions: Two approaches. International Studies Quarterly, 32(4), 379-396. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.2307/2600589

Kerhner, I. (2026). $1 billion in cash buys a permanent seat on Trump’s “Board of Peace”. The New York Times, 18 January. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/18/world/middleeast/trump-board-of-peace-gaza.html (accessed on 19 January 2026)

Kirkpatrick, D. D., & Fahim, K. (2011). Gaddafi warns of assault on Benghazi as United Nations vote nears. The New York Times, 17 March. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/18/world/africa/18libya.html (accessed on 8 January 2026)

Kirshner, J. (2015). The economic sins of modern international relations theory and the classical realist alternative. World Politics, 67(1), 155-183. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1017/S0043887114000318

Klepper, D., & Cano, R. G. (2026). Rubio details how the trump administration will control Venezuela’s oil money. Associated Press News, 28 January. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/venezuela-trump-oil-sales-rubio-maduro-rodriguez-61ad64e8a983db7faaa80beb71ba1aa4 (accessed on 30 January 2026)

Koskenniemi, M. (1996). The place of law in collective security. Michigan Journal of International Law, 17(2), 455-490. Retrieved from https://repository.law.umich.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1497&context=mjil

Kottasová, I. (2026). The great race for the arctic: Why Russia, China and the United States all have it in their sights. CNN, 22 January. Retrieved from https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/21/world/arctic-race-security-trump-explainer (accessed on 23 January 2026)

Krasner, S. D. (1982). Structural causes and regime consequences: Regimes in intervening variables. International Organization, 36(2), 185-205. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020818300018920

Landale, J. (2026). NATO arctic defence needed against Russia, says Cooper. BBC News, 15 January. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3ve3dy676wo (accessed on 17 January 2026)

Luban, D. (2004). Preventative war. Philosophy & Public Affairs, 32(3), 207-248. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1088-4963.2004.00013.x

Machiavelli, N. B. (1985). The prince. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.

Marwat, F. R. K. (1997). The evolution and growth of communism in Afghanistan. Salem: Royal Book Company.

Maturana, J. (2025). United States strikes on narcoboats kill five more in pacific amid mounting Venezuela tensions. Euronews, 19 December. Retrieved from https://www.euronews.com/2025/12/19/us-strikes-on-narcoboats-kill-five-more-in-pacific-as-trump-orders-venezuela-oil-blockade (accessed on 15 January 2026)

McArthur, T. (2026). How the world has reacted to US and Israeli Strikes on Iran. BBC News, 28 February. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yj9kr31y7o (accessed on 9 March 2026)

McKeil, A. (2022). The limits of realism after liberal hegemony. Journal of Global Security Studies, 7(1), 1-11. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1093/jogss/ogab020

Mearsheimer, J. J. (2005). Hans Morgenthau and the Iraq war: Realism versus neoconservatism. Open Democracy, 18 May. Retrieved from https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/morgenthau_2522jsp (accessed on 5 January 2026)

Mearsheimer, J. J. (2014). The tragedy of great power politics (updated ed.). New York City, NY: W. W. Norton & Company.

Mearsheimer, J. J. (2018). The great delusion: Liberal dreams and international realities. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Mearsheimer, J. J., & Walt, S. M. (2003). An unnecessary war. Foreign Policy, 134(January-February), 51-59. Retrieved from https://www.mearsheimer.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/A0032.pdf

Middle East Eye. (2026). United States attack on Venezuela: Death toll rises to 80 civilians and military personnel. Middle East Eye, 4 January. Retrieved from https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/us-attack-venezuela-death-toll-rises-80-civilians-and-military-personnel-1 (accessed on 6 January 2026)

Mohamed, S., in Shaw, G. K. (2026). United States floated “Central Rule of International Law” with Venezuela raid to arrest Maduro, Professor Saira Mohamed says. UC Berkeley Law, 20 January. Retrieved from https://www.law.berkeley.edu/article/professor-saira-mohamed-international-law-nicolas-maduro-venezuela-united-nations/ (accessed on 22 January 2026)

Moncada, S., in Reed, B. (2026). Venezuela calls on United Nations Security Council to back immediate release of Maduro, condemn unlawful United States attack. Common Dreams, 5 January. Retrieved from https://www.commondreams.org/news/
venezuela-un-security-council (accessed on 8 January 2026)

Morgenthau, H. J. (1948). Politics among nations: The struggle for power and peace. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Morkevičius, V. (2018). Realist ethics: Just war traditions as power politics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Murphy, Jr., J. F. (2015). Cold war. In R. P. Carlisle (Ed.), Encyclopedia of intelligence and counterintelligence (pp. 149-152). London: Routledge.

Nanda, R. (2001). India and the emerging multipolar world. Grantham: Lancer’s Books.

Nevett, J. (2026). United Kingdom Holds off joining Trump’s board of peace over Putin concerns. BBC News, 22 January. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp9jj1j74ggo (accessed on 23 January 2026)

Nicaragua v. United States. (1986). Case concerning military and paramilitary activities in and against Nicaragua. International Court of Justice, 14, 27 June.

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. (1949). North Atlantic treaty. NATO, 4 April.

Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. (1968). NPT. 1 July.

Orend, B. (2006). The morality of war. Peterborough, ON: Broadview Press.

Oye, K. A. (1986). Explaining cooperation under anarchy: Hypotheses and strategies. In K. A. Oye (Ed.), Cooperation under anarchy (pp. 1-24). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Papp, J. (2026). Trump suggests US military will hit cartels on “Land” in Mexico. CNBC, 9 January. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/09/trump-us-military-cartels-mexico-land.html (accessed on 11 January 2026)

Paris, R. (2014). The “Responsibility to Protect” and the structural problems of preventive humanitarian intervention. International Peacekeeping, 21(5), 569-603. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1080/13533312.2014.963322

Parmar, I. (2018). The United States-led liberal order: Imperialism by another name. International Affairs, 94(1), 151-172. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iix240

Perkins, D. (2013). Encyclopedia of China: The essential reference to China, its history and culture. London: Routledge.

Phillips, T. (2025). Trump reportedly gave Maduro ultimatum to relinquish power in Venezuela. The Guardian, 1 December. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/01/trump-maduro-ultimatum-relinquish-power-venezuela (accessed on 5 January 2026)

Picchi, A. (2026). Trump says Venezuela stole American oil. Here’s what really happened. CBS News, 9 January. Retrieved from https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-venezuela-oil-assets-theft-explainer/ (accessed on 10 January 2026)

Popli, N. (2026). “That’s Our Territory”: Trump uses Davos speech to push for Greenland. Time, 21 January. Retrieved from https://time.com/7354005/trump-davos-speech-greenland/ (accessed on 23 January 2026)

Queen, J., & Wolfe, J. (2026). Maduro pleads not guilty to drug charges, saying he was “Kidnapped”. Reuters, 5 January. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/venezuelas-maduro-appear-us-court-trump-says-further-strikes-possible-2026-01-05/ (accessed on 6 January 2026)

Rafshoon, E. G. (2002). A realist’s moral opposition to war: Hans J. Morgenthau and Vietnam. Peace & Change, 26(1), 55-77. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1111/0149-0508.00178

Rai, A. (2026). China says US didn’t inform it before attacking Iran as one national confirmed dead. The Independent, 2 March. Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/asia/china/china-us-iran-tensions-evacuations-khamenei-b2930093.html (accessed on 9 March 2026)

Reagan, R. W. (1982). Address to members of the British Parliament. Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum, 8 June. Retrieved from https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/speech/address-members-british-parliament (accessed on 17 January 2026)

Rubinstein, A. Z. (1972). The foreign policy of the Soviet Union. New York City, NY: Random House.

Security Council Report. (2026). Venezuela: Emergency meeting. Security Council Report, 5 January. Retrieved from https://www.securitycouncilreport.org/whatsinblue/2026/01/venezuela-emergency-meeting.php (accessed on 6 January 2026)

Singh, D. (2020). Investigating corruption in the Afghan police force: Instability and insecurity in post-conflict societies. Bristol: Policy Press.

Singh, D. (2023). The tripartite realist war: Analysing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.

Singh, D. (2024). Applied Afro-communitarian ethics and foreign armed intervention. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan.

Singh, D. (2026). What does the capture of Venezuela’s president mean for the world order? The Diplomatic Insight, 8 January. Retrieved from https://thediplomaticinsight.com/what-does-maduros-capture-mean-for-world-order/ (accessed on 10 January 2026)

Singh, D., & Dukhan, H. (2025). From Libya to Syria: Assessing the impact of the responsibility to protect doctrine on global intervention strategies. Global Responsibility to Protect, 17, 187-218. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1163/1875984X-20250003

Sky News. (2026). Backlash after Trump threatens United Kingdom and seven other European nations with tariffs over Greenland purchase. Sky News, 18 January. Retrieved from https://news.sky.com/story/backlash-after-trump-threatens-tariffs-over-greenland-purchase-13495339 (accessed on 20 January 2026)

Smith, D. (2026). United States foes and allies denounce Trump’s “Crime of Aggression” in Venezuela at United Nations meeting. The Guardian, 5 January. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/05/un-security-council-trump-attack-venezuela (accessed on 6 January 2026)

Sommerlad, J. (2026). Trump is sending funds from Venezuela oil to bank in Qatar: Report. The Independent, 16 January. Retrieved from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-venezuela-oil-revenue-qatar-bank-b2901312.html (accessed on 17 January 2026)

Sprague, S. B. (2024). Afghanistan’s violent decades: A history, 1978 through 2021. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.

Stallard, K. (2026). Trump claims Russian and Chinese ships are “All Over Greenland”. This is the reality. The New Statesman, 9 January. Retrieved from https://www.newstatesman.com/international-politics/2026/01/trump-claims-russian-and-chinese-ships-are-all-over-greenland-this-is-the-reality (accessed on 10 January 2026)

Strategic Arms Limitation Talks Agreement I. (1972). Interim agreement between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on certain measures with respect to the limitation of strategic offensive arms (SALT I). 26 May.

Strohmeyer, H. (2001). Collapse and reconstruction of a judicial system: The United Nations missions in Kosovo and East Timor. American Journal of International Law, 95(1), 46-63. Retrieved from https://doi:10.2307/2642036

Stokes, D. (2018). Trump, American hegemony and the future of the liberal international order. International Affairs, 94(1), 133-150. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iix238

Suskind, R. (2006). The one percent doctrine: Deep inside America’s pursuit of its enemies since 9/11. London: Simon & Schuster.

Syrian Network for Human Rights. (2020). Russia and China’s arbitrary veto use 16 times contributed to killing nearly a quarter of a million Syrians, the arrest of nearly 150,000 others, and the spread of impunity. Syrian Network for Human Rights, 17 July. Retrieved from https://snhr.org/wp-content/pdf/english/Russia_and_Chinas_Arbitrary_Veto_Use_16_Times_Contributed_to_ Killing_Nearly_a_Quarter_of_a_Million_Syrians_en.pdf (accessed on 2 February 2026)

The White House. (2025). National security strategy of the United States of America. November. Washington: The White House. Retrieved from https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-National-Security-Strategy.pdf (accessed on 15 January 2026)

Torres, M., Thomas, M., Rios, M., & Sharman, L. (2026). Venezuela approves new law opening its oil industry as Trump threatens more tariffs on countries selling oil to Cuba. CNN, 30 January. Retrieved from https://edition.cnn.com/2026/01/29/americas/venezuela-oil-reform-approved-latam-intl (accessed on 3 February 2026)

Trachtenberg, M. (2025). The rules-based international order: A historical analysis. International Security, 50(2), 7-54. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1162/ISEC.a.11

Trump, D. J. (2026). United States to “Run Venezuela” says President Trump. Bloomberg Podcasts, 7 January. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHQ8JF_3cJ8 (accessed 8 January 2026)

United Nations. (2023). In meeting following Russian Federation’s veto of cross-border aid text, general assembly speakers highlight humanitarian consequences for millions. United Nations, 19 July. Retrieved from https://press.un.org/en/2023/ga12517.doc.htm (accessed on 30 January 2026)

United Nations Emergency Meeting. (2026). Attacks on Iran and retaliatory strikes ‘undermine international peace and security’. United Nations News, 28 February. Retrieved from https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/02/1167059 (accessed on 9 March 2026)

United Nations Secretary-General. (2026). Secretary-General’s remarks to the security council—On Venezuela. United Nations, 5 January. Retrieved from https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/statements/2026-01-05/secretary-generals-remarks-the-security-council-venezuela (accessed on 7 January 2026)

United Nations Security Council. (2019). The situation in the Middle East. Draft Resolution S/PV.8623, 19 September, adopted 8,623rd meeting. Retrieved from https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/pro/n19/286/56/pdf/n1928656.pdf (accessed on 2 February 2026)

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1368. (2001). Threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts. United Nations Document S/RES/1368, 12 September, adopted 4,370th meeting.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373. (2001). Concerning counterterrorism committee. United Nations Document S/RES/1373, 28 September, adopted 4,385th meeting.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1970. (2011). On establishment of a security council committee to monitor implementation of the arms embargo against the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. United Nations Document S/RES/1970, 26 February, adopted 6,491st meeting.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973. (2011). Imposes additional measures in connection with the situation in the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. United Nations Document S/RES/1973, 17 March, adopted 6,498th meeting.

Waltz, K. N. (1979). Theory of international politics. New York City, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Walzer, M. (2012). Syria. Dissent, 9 March. Retrieved from https://www.dissentmagazine.org/blog/syria/ (accessed on 12 January 2026)

Webb, P. (2014). Deadlock or restraint? The security council veto and the use of force in Syria. Journal of Conflict & Security Law, 19(3), 471-488. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1093/jcsl/kru018

Wendt, A. (1992). Anarchy is what states make of it: The social construction of power politics. International Organization, 46(2), 391-425. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020818300027764

Wilson, T. W. (1914). The fourteen points speech. Boston, MA: Squid Ink Classics.

About | Terms & Conditions | Issue | Privacy | Contact us
Copyright © 2001 - David Publishing Company All rights reserved, www.davidpublisher.com
3 Germay Dr., Unit 4 #4651, Wilmington DE 19804; Tel: 001-302-3943358 Email: order@davidpublishing.com