[logifail]

> states that tend to regard international law as optional

I know HN isn't supposed to be about politics, and not wishing to get into specifics and thus provoke an detailed argument, but many of us know of plenty of other "friendly" states that are happy to ignore international law whenever and wherever it suits them.

For those who haven't heard it, the BBC's "One Day In August" is really worthwhile: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04nrqsk