Snippets: ... A small group of Republican senators, led by Jim Inhofe of land-locked Oklahoma, has blocked American ratification of the treaty, claiming that it would impinge upon U.S. sovereignty. The Bush administration, a majority of the United States Senate, and the Pentagon favor ratification, as do representatives of scientific, international legal scholar, mining, and environmentalist groups.
"The treaty... would put 70 percent of the Earth's surface under the despot-loving, corrupt and unaccountable "governance" of the United Nations." -Oliver North
The arguments against the treaty fall into these main categories:
-National sovereignty: The treaty limits US legal authority by granting power to a United Nations-created agency with its own court and bureaucracy, as part of a general expansion of international power. Ultimately treaty-based laws could be enforced against the US.
-War on terror: The treaty limits US military activities especially relevant to anti-terror operations, such as intelligence collection and submerged travel in coastal waters (Articles 19, 20) and the boarding of ships for anti-terror purposes (Art. 110). Other provisions such as Articles 88 and 301 limit the sea to "peaceful purposes," which is said to restrict all military operations.
-Navigation rights not threatened: One of the treaty's main selling points, legally recognized navigation rights on, over, and under straits, is unnecessary because these rights are not currently threatened by law or by any military capable of opposing the US.
-Redistribution of wealth: The treaty would force the US to pay taxes to the United Nations, further increasing the UN's power.
-Redistribution of technology: The treaty would force US businesses to turn over economically and militarily relevant technology to other countries.
-Undesirable precedent: The treaty paves the way for increased power of Non-governmental organizations over the US and other nations.
Holey, Moley!
I've been watching the History Channel's series on the early Colonists' fight for Freeedom from England's rule.
I had forgotten that it was "The Sons of Liberty" who dressed up like Mohawk Indians and dumped over 340+ crates of tea into the Boston Harbor, thereby creating the "Boston Tea Party."
Oh, Sons of Liberty, where are you?