Global News Podcast The Global Story: The post-World War II era is over. What comes next?
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Jan 18, 2026 
Jeremy Bowen, the BBC's International Editor with decades of experience in foreign reporting, discusses the decline of the post-World War II order. He explores the origins and significance of this order and critiques its Western-centric nature. Bowen highlights both successful instances, like the UN coalition in Kuwait, and failures, such as the 2003 Iraq invasion. He warns of rising chaos without a framework and emphasizes that modern states resist old imperial spheres of influence, reflecting a shifting global landscape.
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Origins Of The Post‑War Order
- The post‑WWII rules-based order was born from a desire to prevent another catastrophic war.
- It combined US leadership, institutions like the UN, and legal conventions to stabilise global relations.
Reporting From The First Gulf War
- Jeremy Bowen recounts reporting from the 1990 Gulf War and the liberation of Kuwait.
- He describes coalition forces acting with UN authorisation and stopping when their UN mandate was met.
When Rules Fail: The 2003 Iraq Invasion
- The 2003 Iraq invasion exposed limits of the rules-based order when major powers disagreed.
- Acting without UN consensus undermined claims of international legality and had long, destabilising consequences.