Reply #29: Not accepting something, does NOT make it NOT Universal

[happyslug]

At the end of WWII the US HANGED various members of the Japanese Military and Government for violating a treaty Japan (and others) had REFUSED to sign let alone ratify. The reason given was simple, given that MOST countries had ratified the treaty banning war for offensive purposes, it had become Universal and as such applied to the Japanese WWII leadership.

That same rule can be made to apply to US personnel even without any US ratification if the vast majority of nations sign off on a treaty. International law does NOT require everyone to sign on, which was the holding by the Courts (and the US Supreme Court), but that it is universally known and accepted. A mere Majority of Nations signing a treaty can be enough to make it universal and as such applicable to ALL nations, including countries that refused to sign such treaties.


Sorry the Oslo treaty has more support world wide then the 1920s era ban on offensive wars, thus it cn be viewed as "Universal" even as the US continues to reject it.