Mr Connaughton and Mr Hogarth are fervent in their defense of the bluefish tuna and the failure of the international community, through the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna, to protect them (Tuna Greed, Boston Globe, November 26, 2007: A15).
One could wish that our political masters were so fervent about other international obligations: the US still has not ratified the 25 year old Law of the Sea Treaty which is still opposed by right wing republicans and some commercial interests; though surprisingly supported by the President.
International obligations are not to be undertaken on a piecemeal basis; failure of the US to ratify obligations like Kyoto and our abandonment of Consular Rules (the Optional Protocol to the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations that ensures that jailed foreigners have the right to talk to consular officers) result in others being unwilling to ratify agreements that we feel are in our best interests.
We should move ahead with ratification of the Law of the Sea Treaty which was recently reported out of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and, now that Australia appears likely to sign on to the Kyoto accords, we should do likewise. President Bush's voluntary efforts on greenhouse gas restraint having proved unsuccessful.
Sent to Boston Globe
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