LAT: U.S. Gives a Cold Shoulder to Treaties

[DeepModem Mom]

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.

By Evelyn Iritani, Times Staff Writer


....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....

***

Those who disagree with the administration's stance say the U.S. is alienating foreign allies at a time when nearly every pressing issue it faces, such as curbing the spread of nuclear weapons, fighting disease and tracking terrorism financing, requires global cooperation. And they say it is doing so just as the political and economic landscape is increasingly being reshaped by China, India and the European Union....

***

(Legal experts say) opting out of...treaties means the U.S. has less power to influence the debate. Because it is not a member of the global maritime treaty, the United States has little leverage to persuade Asian countries to agree to a regional accord to protect tuna stocks in the Pacific Ocean, said Harry Scheiber, co-director of the Law of the Sea Institute at UC Berkeley....Similarly, if it does not sign on to the global tobacco-control treaty, the U.S. will not be involved in shaping the rules of enforcement....


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-treaties13mar13,0,6740192.story?coll=la-home-nation

[IndianaGreen]

1. The American rightwing is ultra-nationalist by nature, like the nazis

Their opposition to international cooperation and collective security is legendary. Imperialists such as Henry Cabot Lodge and John Foster Dulles were arch enemies of the League of Nations and United Nations respectively.

Bush is the more extreme reincarnation of Cabot Lodge and Dulles.

[Mich Otter]

2. How can we be so busy "Spreading Freedom and Democracy"....

around the world and not support the fruits of that freedom?
Damn, I wish we had a wise president.

[Toots]

3. The US has been behaving like a spoiled child throwing tantrums

Children get mad and stop talking and so has the Bush* Cabal, with North Korea, Iran, Cuba and the list is growing not shrinking....When Diplomacy is crucial they stop talking.

[DBoon]

4. when it's you against the rest of the world

the rest of the world wins

[leftchick]

5. U.S. Gives a Cold Shoulder to Treaties

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=2026&e=4&u=/latimests/20050313/ts_latimes/usgivesacoldshouldertotreaties

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.


The Kyoto Protocol (news - web sites), the international accord to combat global warming, recently took effect with ratification by 141 countries — including every industrialized nation except the United States and Australia. The president said the Kyoto pact was unrealistic and would hurt the U.S. economy by forcing American companies to shoulder the bulk of cleanup costs.

[struggle4progress]

6. kick