March 13, 2005

OUR SOVEREIGNTY MATTERS, THEIRS DOESN'T:

U.S. Gives a Cold Shoulder to Treaties: Bush's trend of opting out of international pacts might endanger America's standing in the world and hinder global efforts, some say. (Evelyn Iritani, March 13, 2005, LA Times)

The tobacco treaty is the latest example of the Bush administration's reluctance to join international treaties.

On issues including public health, maritime policies and environmental protection, Bush has signed or won ratification for far fewer treaties than his immediate predecessors, Presidents Clinton and George H.W. Bush.

The White House says that it supports global agreements as long as they don't undermine America's ability to act in its own best interests. But critics say the administration's stance is endangering America's standing in the world and hindering efforts to resolve global problems.


So when we opt out of treaties that aren't in our interest but everyone else joins them, even though they aren't in their own best interest, it's bad for us?

Posted by Orrin Judd at March 13, 2005 9:32 AM
Comments

Sure they do. Because they have no intention of adhering to the treaty unless they feel like it in some particular circumstance. Yet demand that we adhere to it in every particular.

Posted by: ray at March 13, 2005 9:51 AM

Treaties matter only so long as they are of benefit to the nation, once that ceases being the case, simply void the treaty.

Posted by: Bart at March 13, 2005 12:27 PM

This is one of those cases where being hypocritical is considered a virtue by those for whom hypocrisy is the worst possible sin. Or a case where being "realistic" offends the realists.

They're just all upset that now they have to actually criticize US actions on principles (of which they have none) or their actual merits instead of these trivial, selectively enforced and interpreted agreements.

Posted by: Raoul Ortega at March 13, 2005 1:50 PM

The article pounded on the Law of the Sea Treaty (a/k/a LOST), a monstrosity that would turn everything over to the UN including all deep sea mining rights.

Posted by: Robert Schwartz at March 14, 2005 1:32 AM
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