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| International Law: Why it sucks, why people shouldn't buy into it, and why it should be abandoned.This will be the first in a 5 part series examining why international law sucks. Exhibit A. Class Dismissed.Comments1
I don't really see what that article has to do with international law. Everyone agrees that the peacekeepers actions were unlawful. Most people agree that UN peacekeeping forces in Africa are a joke.
What's your point? That undisciplined troops turned loose on a population can cause a lot of problems? Or are you arguing that it sucks that peacekeepers can't rape and pillage at will without being prosecuted by their home countries (the one soldier mentioned by name is being prosecuted by South Africa for rape). Either way while that article documents problems with the UN it doesn't show anything regarding international law which includes the whole body of treaties the US is party to. Posted by: chad at August 28, 2007 09:03 AM (GeT1e) 2
The unalloyed fact is that UN blue helment participation in an event guarantees wide spread sex crimes by its soldiers and officers and administrators. Meanwhile, True Conservatives like Sullivan and G(s)G work themselves into a lather trying to turn isolated, specific cases into generalized indictments. Often after the US Militiary justice system has already taken steps to 1) find out if there is a generalized pattern and 2) punish the wrongdoer after an investigation.
Posted by: BumperStickerist at August 28, 2007 09:05 AM (UeP9e) 3
Well, it isn't really fair to offer this as an example of why international law should be abandoned. The question is how international law responds to these violations of human rights. We have dirty cops here in the U.S., does that mean we should give up on state, county, or municipal law enforcement (I don't mention federal law enforcement... that appears to be on the outs anyway)? Jesus, I can't believe I'm defending the U.N. Then again, I haven't had my coffee yet. Posted by: Mark V. at August 28, 2007 09:09 AM (M+5Je) 4
Bumperstickerist pretty much nailed why I picked this story.
Plus, I wanted to say that anyone who disagreed with me supported UN Peacekeepers who were pedophiles and rapists. You don't support rape and pedophilia, do you? Posted by: Jack M. at August 28, 2007 09:12 AM (Rt2uy) 5
It depends.
Posted by: Mark V. at August 28, 2007 09:18 AM (M+5Je) 6
An AoS contributor fight! Awright! This'll be better than a cripple fight!
Posted by: S. Weasel at August 28, 2007 09:21 AM (rasT+) 7
This is more an example of why the U.N. sucks. The U.N. assumes by its very existence that all its members are worthy of consideration. It's like making sure that your local drug dealers are on your school board and then pretending that they have sincere motives. Posted by: captkidney at August 28, 2007 09:32 AM (ROA4D) 8
Captkidney, Doesn't that also infer that the UN, by its very mandate, is also responsible for presiding over international laws and issues? I have no love for the UN. I'd like to see us kick them out and have them set up shop in Switzerland where they'd be more accepted. I'd rather the US try to get together with other like-minded countries and form a separate group. Posted by: EC at August 28, 2007 09:36 AM (mAhn3) 9
captkidney: But that's the very point, isn't it? Under "international law," Iran, Syria, China all have every bit as much right to chair the UN's conference on human rights, or on disarmament, or any of the other various entities, as the United States, France, or Japan. That, by most metrics, the first three are unqualified to adjudicate human rights is irrelevant. It literally is allowing local drug dealers onto the school boards. In some ways, it's actually worse---b/c of the "morality" associated with the UN, we are expected to view the drug dealers as co-equals, morally and politically, as their non-drug-dealer counterparts. Thus, if the police want to raid the local crack-house, the drug dealers get a vote---and if they align with the car thieves and Jeffrey Dahmers to prevent it, the cops are powerless.
Posted by: Lurking Observer at August 28, 2007 09:39 AM (/ZD7V) 10
This is an example of why we should quit the UN; which, by extension, includes so-called "international law". The fact that it's our choice to do so shows that the concept of international law is a joke. You can't choose to be bound by law or not. You can't go in front of a judge and decide whether you're going to go along with his judgement. You're either bound by it or not. For the US to be bound by international law, it could not be a sovereign nation. In other words, there is no such thing as international law.
Posted by: Penn State Marine at August 28, 2007 09:44 AM (UK1DK) 11
Gabriel Malor was elaborate and detailed. Jack M was bang on target. The UN building was built after razing a perfectly good slum. I say remove the eyesore, and bring back the slum. Posted by: Tushar D at August 28, 2007 09:51 AM (IlgNp) 12
It's worth pointing out that Gabriel shared Jack's point of view. But then Gabriel went and got himself edumacated and thunk about the topic somemore. The issue now is whether we'll still be stupid and ignorant after Gabriel's fifth part of this series. Posted by: BumperStickerist at August 28, 2007 10:00 AM (UeP9e) 13
>>It's worth pointing out that Gabriel shared Jack's point of view. But then Gabriel went and got himself edumacated and thunk about the topic somemore. Another example that nothing good comes out of education. Posted by: Tushar D at August 28, 2007 10:02 AM (IlgNp) 14
Another example that nothing good comes out of education The correct phrasing in that context is "book-larnin"
Posted by: Penn State Marine at August 28, 2007 10:05 AM (UK1DK) 15
Hell I read em both and I'm still dumb. In the original UN charter, the Soviet Union was granted 3 voting seats in the general assembly. They argued they were 15 separate nations and the rest of the world said "uh, ok, whatever". It's been a "hate America, hate Israel club" for most of its existence. Fuck em. Posted by: Dave in Texas at August 28, 2007 10:13 AM (n6AeU) 16
Another example of why international law sucks.
Google was asked to provide some information regarding online sex predators and they told the FBI to get bent. China asks for the names and addresses of "troublemakers" and they hand them over on a silver platter. What's wrong with this picture? Posted by: EC at August 28, 2007 10:14 AM (mAhn3) 17
It seems to me international law, like any set of laws, is dependent upon those who would be subject to the laws agreeing upon a set of basic principles in good faith. Let's say this international law-making organization makes human trafficking in slaves or prostitutes illegal.
The United States and European countries agree it's evil and continue their already in-place work of preventing it within their borders. China and Russia refuse, and continue engaging in the illegal practice. How do proponents of international law suggest this sort of situation be handled? After all, if a number of sovereign nations have laws that prohibit this practice, then that limits the scope of where those who engage in human trafficking can do business. An international consensus of sorts already exists on this - human trafficking is bad. Don't do it. In other words, most of what would be covered under international law is already prohibited by civilized nations, and still practiced by less-civilized nations. Why engage in a practice that will have no effect on those who already engage in behavior that they know most of the world find abhorrent? International law cannot make the uncivilized care about acting in a civilized manner. Posted by: Slublog at August 28, 2007 10:30 AM (R8+nJ) 18
Slub, You're talking about enforcing international law. Who do we go to help enforce such laws?
Why the UN ofcourse! Which brings us back to JackM's original post. Posted by: EC at August 28, 2007 10:34 AM (mAhn3) 19
Exactly. It's not a law if it's optional. The fact that some countries submit and others do not means it's nothing more than a set of international agreements, not law. All this talk of international law is more about propoganda. The foundation of propoganda is the repetition of statements until they are taken as truth. The reason the left is in love with the idea of international law is that they can chant criminal at those they don't like while socialist rabble-rousing. Posted by: Penn State Marine at August 28, 2007 10:38 AM (UK1DK) 20
When I showed up for work this morning there was a shiny new UN drink coaster on my desk... no doubt from one of the products we build here... I'm pretty sure that bad-boy was in the trash in under 8 seconds....
Posted by: Terry at August 28, 2007 10:44 AM (a8b5N) 21
Under international law, we are always the criminals while the people who rape/rob/murder are innocent. Spit.
Posted by: sparky at August 28, 2007 10:50 AM (ciWun) 22
Oh, and look at that stupid war crimes trial at the Hague. It went on for years until the guy finally croaked. Ridiculous.
Posted by: sparky at August 28, 2007 10:52 AM (ciWun) 23
Slu's point is the same point I made in the other thread - it's not really "law". It's not really anything. It doesn't exist. At least, it makes no effective difference to anything whether it exists in people's heads or not. The "international law" we have now makes things in absolutely no way different from the "international law" they had in 413BC - before they even had nation states even. You make agreements. You honor them if you please. When they are not honored, it means nothing unless you are will to fight and force it, in which case...it's just hegemony. Posted by: Entropy at August 28, 2007 10:55 AM (m6c4H) 24
And the US needs to disassociate itself from the UN and stop funding it. I think there are now more dictator/fascist members than members who support free societies and humane treatment. And I believe they have a conference coming up wherein the worst of human scum get together to bash the Jews and the western infidels with a view to ridding the world of us - all arranged by the UN and at partially funded by OUR tax dollars.
Posted by: Jenny at August 28, 2007 10:55 AM (1Qzdb) 25
Is hobo hunting legal under 'international law'? Cause that could make all the difference.
Posted by: Drew at August 28, 2007 10:59 AM (hlYel) Posted by: Dave in Texas at August 28, 2007 11:00 AM (n6AeU) 27
International law is an easy way of establishing moral equivalency between America and some crackpot dictator that brutalizes his people. just highlight single instances of soldier brutality and blame the highest leadership in the country. Then try them in some donkey court with european socialst sitting as the jury. wow what a picture. Just imagine what leftist judges on international courts could do, they would be more powerful than the president and probably unelected. sounds like international dictatorship to me. Posted by: E4Puke at August 28, 2007 11:01 AM (u2aRf) 28
Thank you professor M. That is all. PS: Dave in Texas, you are being far too kind with the UN. What are you, a UN lover?! Posted by: Francesco Poli at August 28, 2007 11:06 AM (4Es+K) 29
Who is Gabriel Malor anyway? I asked before, but never got an answer. What are his credentials? A real attorney or another moron like us? Is he supposed to be the Fairness Doctrine counterpoint to AoSHQ?
Posted by: EC at August 28, 2007 11:13 AM (mAhn3) Posted by: Tushar D at August 28, 2007 11:14 AM (IlgNp) 31
Exactly Entropy - it is a complete misnomer. Law has a leviathan body
that enforces it, and to be valid, was agreed upon by the majority of
people to live under it. This isn't law, it is agreed custom by
governments, representative and unrepresentative - custom that is
always changing depending on who is stuck enforcing it and the context.
Posted by: MlR at August 28, 2007 11:16 AM (mX6h5) Posted by: Jose Cuervo at August 28, 2007 11:18 AM (fglQK) 33
Penn State, the greatest reason why they love it is because if can just
get the US to sign on, you can immediately claim it was a voluntary act
that has made it legally binding.
And in the process, skip over that pesky thing callled the Constitution. It is the ultimate rubber stamp. Posted by: MlR at August 28, 2007 11:18 AM (mX6h5) 34
Tush, I'm just curious is all! How'd Ace find this guy? Almost makes me yearn for the days of gay music vids-linking and kitten threads. Posted by: EC at August 28, 2007 11:20 AM (mAhn3) 35
Act now and with every blue helmet, we'll include a purple one, FREE! Call now, operators are standing by.
Posted by: Kofi at August 28, 2007 11:24 AM (0rl7n) 36
>>I'm just curious is all! How'd Ace find this guy? Yeah, he does have an intellectual heft that makes us morons squirm. I am more comfortable with stories like this: Baby hedgehogs adopt a cleaning brush as their mother. Via Sinistar at doubleplusundead, purveyor of fine banalities since 2007. Posted by: Tushar D at August 28, 2007 11:26 AM (IlgNp) Posted by: 3rd_Bird at August 28, 2007 11:34 AM (bBDPp) 38
Yeah, he does have an intellectual heft that makes us morons squirm. I'm still not convinced that international law is such a good idea. John Kerry proposed his "global test" criteria during the 2004 debates and look how well that went over. That's not leadership, that's decision by comittee. I'm all for countries hammering out trade agreements and treaties and such, but I'm against letting the US fall under an international court where some other country is going to decide our legally binding fate. Screw that. Posted by: EC at August 28, 2007 11:35 AM (mAhn3) Posted by: Jose Cuervo at August 28, 2007 11:37 AM (fglQK) 40
One - American troops should never be wearing a blue helmet. They are Americans in the American service.
Two - "International law" is bullshit. Do we really want to give up our sovereignty and have Americans subject to a bunch of third world dictators? Some Euro shithead tries to screw with me he'll get a first hand view of why we have a Second Amendment in this country. Three - The UN is and has been an unmitigated disaster, rife with corruption from the top down. We should stop paying the freight for this nonsense, kick their asses out, and put the ground their NY headquarters is on to good use. Maybe a nice new prison. Rooms with a river view and all that. Posted by: Bruce at August 28, 2007 11:38 AM (2q+Ss) 41
How the UN is handling the criminals in the Congo is reeking to me of how the Catholic Church handled the molesting priests. Do we need to get some of the class-action lawyers who sued the Catholic Church down to the Congo?
Posted by: Alice H at August 28, 2007 11:39 AM (jRtPb) 42
Start with NAFTA, GATT, the IMF, and the WTO. Those are the agents of international law which make a stronger UN and ICC inevitable.
Posted by: Oops at August 28, 2007 11:41 AM (1WdUw) 43
Here's 'international law' working at it's finest. Britian and the abolition of the slave trade. Britian made a law, Britian forced the law with British sea power and economic power. But to call this "international law" is a slight of semantics. This isn't international law - this is British law writ large - British law enforced internationally, British laws forced on everybody who could not resist it (which as happened was everybody at the time) through might and will. It is right good ole British hegemony. The Brits enforcing the British law on everybody, even outside Britian, because they can and because they think right good and proper. No fundementally different in principle (but obviously of great moral difference) the Soviet laws as they would apply to occupied Poland. Or the Allied ban of the rebuilding of the German army and concessions post WWI. Or the payment of danegeld or jizyah. Or the Byzantines becoming party with Rome to the Filioque Clause of the Nicean Creed during the Mohammedian siege of Constantinople. We use to just call these things "diplomacy" and "diplomacy by other means" (a.k.a. "war"). That's "international law" that is law but not really international. There's also "international law" that's really international but not really law - i.e. the Kyoto Protocol. Posted by: Entropy at August 28, 2007 11:45 AM (m6c4H) 44
And don't forget that many lefties are now claiming that we should treat "international law" as precedent for our own Supreme Court decisions.
Fortunately, Scalia had some choice words to say about that. Posted by: OregonMuse at August 28, 2007 11:49 AM (BnhRt) 45
The Kyoto Protocol isn't international law by any means. It's a treaty that's volutarily signed by member nations to abide by certain regulations and policies, i.e. a country can opt out at any time with no legal penalty.
Posted by: EC at August 28, 2007 11:50 AM (mAhn3) 46
Also, is Gabriel going to actually defend what he wrote, or is his international law series going to be just five drive-bys?
Posted by: OregonMuse at August 28, 2007 11:51 AM (BnhRt) 47
This might be a first: The intra-blog flame war.
Posted by: km at August 28, 2007 12:01 PM (ZeIkZ) 48
OregonMuse,
Yes, I'm going to defend what I wrote and respond to commenters. I love debate. Contentious debate is even better. I will not, however, be responding to commenters who post "International Law is bullshit." There's just not enough there to answer. Posted by: Gabriel Malor at August 28, 2007 12:07 PM (1Ug6U) 49
>>I will not, however, be responding to commenters who post "International Law is bullshit." There's just not enough there to answer. Well, we can expand our point a little more. International Law is a pile of steaming, smelly bovine excretion. Better? Posted by: Tushar D at August 28, 2007 12:11 PM (IlgNp) Posted by: holdfast at August 28, 2007 12:15 PM (Gzb30) 51
#27 - International dictatorship is exactly where the UN is headed.
Posted by: Jenny at August 28, 2007 12:25 PM (1Qzdb) 52
The Kyoto Protocol isn't international law by any means. It's a treaty that's volutarily signed by member nations to abide by certain regulations and policies, i.e. a country can opt out at any time with no legal penalty. What's the legal penalty to not being a party to the Geneva Conventions? Not being party to Geneva Conventions is the penalty for not being a party to the Geneva Conventions (or violating them). Sure...there's "Warcrimes tribunals". IF YOU LOSE THE WAR! They can do whatever the hell they want then. They can have "professional pygmie fluffer tribunals". They can burn to death anyone who weighs less then a duck as a witch if they like. What you say is correct - it isn't law by any means. But it's as good as example as anything because the operative point here being there is nothing else. Posted by: Entropy at August 28, 2007 12:27 PM (m6c4H) 53
Yeah, he does have an intellectual heft that makes us morons squirm. I am more comfortable with stories like this: Baby hedgehogs adopt a cleaning brush as their mother. Via Sinistar at doubleplusundead, purveyor of fine banalities since 2007. Posted by: Tushar D at August 28, 2007 11:26 AMHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! Posted by: sinistar at August 28, 2007 12:28 PM (gLf8f) 54
What's the legal penalty to not being a party to the Geneva Conventions? As we've all recently seen in Iraq/Afghanistan/Israel, absolutely nothing. Posted by: EC at August 28, 2007 12:33 PM (mAhn3) 55
This is just a suggestion mind you, but some of you may want to read the constitution and see what it has to say on the matter of treaties and law. Article VI Clause 2: This Constitution, and the Laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any Thing in the Constitution or Laws of any State to the Contrary notwithstanding. I am not a fan of the UN but treaties and international law do serve a purpose
Posted by: chad at August 28, 2007 12:58 PM (XZuN0) 56
Chad, The supreme law of the land includes that US signed, not international laws that are unwillingly imposed. ore reason why the US should think 10 times before signing any multilateral treaties. Posted by: Tushar D at August 28, 2007 01:06 PM (IlgNp) 57
You also have to really understand what's going on here. They're saying, in the constitution, "You cannot violate treatise you have signed into the law". But, for them to apply, first you must sign them into the law. Second, if you don't want them to apply, you repeal them from the law. What they're saying here is some wacky judge cannot just go and break a treaty. It's against US law to violate US international treaties. But if congress & President want to break a treaty, they just nullify it. Just like that. Then it's no longer law. It matters domestically but not internationally. Locally speaking, you might say "You cannot do "x" because the US signed a treaty saying they banned "x"". Now "x" is illegal - not because of international law, but because this particular policy was adopted into US law. It means when the US signs a treaty with France saying "Selling asbestos blankets to France with false labels that say they were made of cotton is prohibited", it is adopted into US law and is in fact illegal under US law, even though it wasn't written into the law, merely ratified as a treaty with France. But on the international scene, if the US (as a collective entity) does not want to follow the treaty, it is not bound (as a collective entity) to do so. It simply removes itself from the treaty. Posted by: Entropy at August 28, 2007 01:17 PM (m6c4H) 58
These terms are not necessarily contradictory.
Dammit, Tushar, you beat me to it. And if it's gay vidblogging you want, trust me, I can provide it. But before you morons get all excited, it'll be the kind of gay vidblogging I like. Which means be prepared to say hello to the boys of Bel Ami. Yeah. I thought that might change some minds. Posted by: alexthechick at August 28, 2007 01:25 PM (SHHaV) 59
Thats my point exactly. When the US signs (ratifies) a treaty it is binding as law. If we don't it's not. Just like if a bunch of people on your block decide that you can only drive a prius. It's not binding. No other country can force a treaty on us unless we let them. Once the US does ratify a treaty it is the law of the land, and as such has to be enforced by the US Justice system or if the treaty has a separate enforcement system designated (like the dispute board in the WTO) it has to be enforced by them. Until the US withdraws from the treaty that is. The UN doesn't enter into the matter except where specifically addressed in treaties as a party to the treaty or an enforcement agency. The other misconception is that you can't opt out of a law. That's just not true states change laws all the time repealing old provisions (opting out) is part of it. People also opt out of laws all the time, speeding, jaywalking, murder. But just like in international law if someone presses the case then you have to pay the penalty. In international law it may be retaliatory tarriffs or in extreme cases war vs. fines or jail time locally. But go ahead guys withdraw from all the treaties like GATT, WTO, NAFTA etc. and see what happens.
Posted by: chad at August 28, 2007 01:32 PM (XZuN0) 60
To be clear it is not signing a treaty that is key, it is ratifying it that matters - the US is a bit unique in that there is an explicit process to give a treaty domestic law status - have it approved by 2/3 of the Senate. The Goracle signed Kyoto on behalf of Clinton, but it was never ratified, and thus never achieved the status of law in the US. GWB later removed the signature since (1) he did not want to ratify it, and (2) the Senate would never ratify it even if he gave them all blowjobs. In the UK or Canada, if a government signs a treaty, then that government is bound to follow it in their dealings with other countries (or they can violate it and suffer the penalties set forth in the treaty (if any), or be ostracized. That treaty does not generally have any domestic force - you cannot fine somebody for polluting because you signed Kyoto; to do this, you need to pass enabling legislation - an ordinary bill in parliament which makes the relevant parts of that treaty domestic law (eg sets carbon emission limits). Now this last part is starting to change (especially in the UK) where courts are accepting arguments based on various human rights treaties and the like in domestic courts - usually they coverthemselves by saying that the treaty is "informing" their decision and is not actually binding. A friend of mine who works for the dark side wrote a very good book on doing this (I disagree, but he's very smart and good at this stuff). At any rate, this is how Canada, which signed Kyoto under the Liberals, still has no mechanism to implement it. The Lieberals wanted the treaty but not the political pain that would come from crippling the economy, so they pay it lip service. Now that the Conservatives are in power, thee Lieberals complain about how the Torys won't implement Kyoto - conveniently forgetting that they didn't either - the irony is extra-deep because the current Lib leader used to be the Enviro minister. The current PM, Harper, leads a minority government and does not need the heart-ache that would come from unsigning Kyoto, so he just ignores it.
Posted by: holdfast at August 28, 2007 01:44 PM (Gzb30) 61
Chad, Yes, it's the law of the land. But the weight behind the law is the US. It is not international law that binds the US citizen. It is not arrest by blue helmets or trial at the ICC. It is US law that puts the weight behind it. It's US law, not 'international law' that binds. And US law is what the US wants it to be. International laws may bind a US citizen if the US wants it to do so, because they write it into binding US law. But international law does not bind the US itself, as a country, as a single entity. Nor is it the legitimacy behind the laws with regard to a US citizen. Posted by: Entropy at August 28, 2007 02:18 PM (m6c4H) 62
(2) the Senate would never ratify it even if he gave them all blowjobs.
That is an image I did not need in my head ever. Thanks. Posted by: alexthechick at August 28, 2007 02:18 PM (SHHaV) 63
But go ahead guys withdraw from all the treaties like GATT, WTO, NAFTA etc. and see what happens. No one opposses treaties or diplomacy. No one is saying the US should deny the existance of the Canada and ignore them. What I'm saying is this is a mutually agreeable treaty agreement that is voluntary. Like Kyoto, the country may opt out with no penalty, and the citizen is bound by the local law's affirmation of the international law, not the international law itself. Because the international law isn't a law. It's a treaty agreement. It's not really "law". It's "a voluntary non-binding agreement between national entities". Like Kyoto. It is not "law", but that is what "international law" is. Posted by: Entropy at August 28, 2007 02:24 PM (m6c4H) 64
That is why you have people saying "there is no such thing as international law". We're not just obstinately denying that there is such a thing as a Kyoto Protocol. It exists! We're saying it's not international law. It's a misnomer. An improper conceptual understanding of what Kyoto or Geneva or the ABM treaty or NAFTA or NATO is. Posted by: Entropy at August 28, 2007 02:29 PM (m6c4H) 65
All Hail the Great Jack M., one true prophet! May thousand Suzanne Sena's be upon him!
Posted by: TheEJS at August 28, 2007 02:30 PM (q1cZW) 66
62 (2) the Senate would never ratify it even if he gave them all blowjobs.
That is an image I did not need in my head ever. Thanks. Posted by: alexthechick at August 28, 2007 02:18 PM (SHHaV)
That's the kind of reasoning that got me the top mark in my International Law class. And yes, that was quite a while ago, but I like to dwell on my victories, as scarce as they are. Posted by: holdfast at August 28, 2007 02:39 PM (Gzb30) 67
>>All Hail the Great Jack M., one true prophet! May thousand Suzanne Sena's be upon him! Or under him. Whatever he likes. Posted by: Tushar D at August 28, 2007 02:47 PM (IlgNp) 68
If the United States is bound by any laws other than its own, the sovereignty of the people (notice I did not say of the country) ceases to be. Do you really want Vladimir Putin's crony in the U.N. deciding how you should live your life? How the nation that derives its powers from YOU will act? Doesn't that ring with some sort of evil to you? Furthermore, I do believe this nation was built by men who threw off the shackles of a foreign power...why on god's fucking green earth would we want to give that power back and put the yoke back on? Pretty soon we'll be just like Conan turning that Wheel of Pain, grinding grain for our foreign masters. If you want some foreigner deciding how you should live your life, then decide which one would be the best master for you and move there. We don't need your kind here. Posted by: otcconan at August 28, 2007 02:51 PM (pnnnd) Posted by: Hoodlumman at August 28, 2007 03:36 PM (FAZ6l) 70
It looks to me that the best international law stems from the USA, you are the only hope at present to help the weak and sort the bullies. this gives the rest of the world (at least their huge gobs) acute heartburn, there is a simple answer, any country that bucks the 10 commandments loses all its voting rights for a couple of months, that way Iran NEVER gets to vote, or Rhodesia, or, or or, mind you with a bit of work Lybia will be OK, shame about EU, still we have nothing positive to add anyway.
Posted by: chris edwards at August 28, 2007 03:41 PM (qou0u) 71
Hoodlumman, Joyner apparently doesn't know satire when he sees it. I also wonder that he didn't have the sense to scroll down to the next post.
Posted by: Gabriel Malor at August 28, 2007 03:49 PM (Ffh5y) 72
James Joyner has called out Jack M.
This means war. James Joyner Delena Est! (who the hell is James Joyner?) Posted by: Drew at August 28, 2007 04:14 PM (hlYel) 73
Entropy, You are essentially saying the same thing I am. I don't know why you are trying to dress it up in a way to amke it appear that treaties aren't lawfully binding. Yes a country can withdraw from a treaty that doesn't mean that a treaty isn't lawful / the law. It just means that by taking a specific action the law can be changed. I threw in the GATT, WTO, etc. because in comment 42 Oops posted Start with NAFTA, GATT, the IMF, and the WTO. Those are the agents of international law which make a stronger UN and ICC inevitable.
Posted by: chad at August 28, 2007 04:35 PM (XZuN0) 74
43-Entropy Daaaay-umn, man, I am impressed "...the Byzantines becoming party with Rome to the Filioque Clause of the Nicene [sp] Creed ..." ...spent an interesting 1/2 hour googling that one.
Posted by: davis,br at August 28, 2007 05:34 PM (5xoMO) Posted by: Gabriel Malor at August 28, 2007 06:11 PM (Ffh5y) 76
You are essentially saying the same thing I am. I said as much about Gabriel's post in the other thread. Substantially, I don't really disagree with any of it. It's a conceptual disagreement. But whether you recognize of the concept of international law or not, it has no effective difference to.........anything. That was one of the points I made. In terms of "what do we do", it means jack whether or not the concept is even valid. Posted by: Entropy at August 28, 2007 06:17 PM (HgAV0) 77
The reason people argue over the semantics of "International Law" versus the terminology "Treaties currently binding on the United States" is that the first term, International Law, is _explicitly_ different in different places.
Canada has not ratified exactly the same treaties the US has. Specifically, they've ratified the Kyotol Protocol. So when _they_ talk about International Law, they're _INCLUDING_ Kyoto. And they whine about us violating it. But... we didn't ratify that. We aren't bound by it. But since it is "International Law" in Canada, there's the occasional quote about us 'violating' it. If the terminology was focused on 'Treaties binding on Country XX', the entire topic wouldn't feel like a rigged system designed solely to hound the US into one action or another. Is it good for the United States to live up to the terms of the treaties it has ratified? Absolutely. There's plenty of treaties where I'd argue details, or ask for us to formally renunciative it. There's also treaties where different nations have drastically different interpretations of the meaning of the text. But that's considered normal. But is it good for the US to live up to "International Law" when it is called by that term? No. That term is the epitome of a moving goalpost. With an _external_ arbiter. Posted by: Al at August 28, 2007 08:32 PM (Lk931) 78
Actually, the current Canadian gov't doesn't whine about Kyoto violations, because they know that Canda is also violating it, and have no intention of changing that/killing the economy. The current PM is from Alberta, and I was at a speech he gave here in NY last year where he promised the US that Canadian oil production would double in the next 4 years. That's not Kyoto compatible.
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