The Problem of Enforcement
Many people insist that America should talk and negotiate with all the countries and entities with which it has an issue. For instance, Democrats in America say that the United States should sit down and negotiate with terrorist entities around the globe. These types of people claim that if only we could talk and come to some kind of agreement, no matter what the issue, then the world would be a better place. The problem with this rationale is that is assumes the rest of the world respects the rule of law and plays by the rules widely accepted in America.
Take the nuclear ambitions of North Korea. In the 1994 the Clinton administration signed a nuclear accord with North Korea that gave that country technology to build nuclear power plants in exchange for only a promise that the technology would not be used to build nuclear weapons. But the agreement was not enforced, North Korea used the technology to ramp up its nuclear weapons program, voided the 1994 agreement, and is now believed to have a functional nuclear weapon.
In his first term, President Bush refused to sign the United States onto the Kyoto Protocol that would have imposed mandatory targets for cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. Leftists were beside themselves, claiming that the United States was alienating its friends. In explaining his decision, the President stated that one of the reasons he did not allow America to join the protocol was that the agreement did not have any significant enforcement mechanisms that would punish offending nations. Knowing that America would honor the agreement once it signed on and knowing that others would simply ignore the rules, the President concluded that the treaty would just end up harming America economically, especially since India and China did not sign the treaty. Oh by the way, the European countries that did sign the accord and continually lecture America on global warming will not meet their emissions targets. What will happen to them for their failure? Nothing.
The internationally imposed cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah in the Middle East will be another lesson in the problem of enforcement. The agreement stopped the fighting, but fails to deal with the real problem that a terrorist organization, Hezbollah, will not be disarmed. Hezbollah is committed to the destruction of Israel, nothing less is acceptable to them. Therefore, no cease-fire or agreement with them will bring about lasting peace.
Agreements and treaties do not mean anything if the party you sign with simply ignores the rules. As Ronald Reagan said "Trust, but verify." In today's world the left and much of the international community seem to ooze trust, but are totally indifferent to verification.
Any comments or questions can be received at whyyouareaconservative@gmail.com
~ The Conservative Guy
Take the nuclear ambitions of North Korea. In the 1994 the Clinton administration signed a nuclear accord with North Korea that gave that country technology to build nuclear power plants in exchange for only a promise that the technology would not be used to build nuclear weapons. But the agreement was not enforced, North Korea used the technology to ramp up its nuclear weapons program, voided the 1994 agreement, and is now believed to have a functional nuclear weapon.
In his first term, President Bush refused to sign the United States onto the Kyoto Protocol that would have imposed mandatory targets for cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. Leftists were beside themselves, claiming that the United States was alienating its friends. In explaining his decision, the President stated that one of the reasons he did not allow America to join the protocol was that the agreement did not have any significant enforcement mechanisms that would punish offending nations. Knowing that America would honor the agreement once it signed on and knowing that others would simply ignore the rules, the President concluded that the treaty would just end up harming America economically, especially since India and China did not sign the treaty. Oh by the way, the European countries that did sign the accord and continually lecture America on global warming will not meet their emissions targets. What will happen to them for their failure? Nothing.
The internationally imposed cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah in the Middle East will be another lesson in the problem of enforcement. The agreement stopped the fighting, but fails to deal with the real problem that a terrorist organization, Hezbollah, will not be disarmed. Hezbollah is committed to the destruction of Israel, nothing less is acceptable to them. Therefore, no cease-fire or agreement with them will bring about lasting peace.
Agreements and treaties do not mean anything if the party you sign with simply ignores the rules. As Ronald Reagan said "Trust, but verify." In today's world the left and much of the international community seem to ooze trust, but are totally indifferent to verification.
Any comments or questions can be received at whyyouareaconservative@gmail.com
~ The Conservative Guy
posted by The Conservative Guy at
8:16 PM
2 Comments:
You are wrong. The ONLY true problem in the most recent conflict is that Hezbollah will not disarm. If they did, no other innocents would be killed. Israel is simply acting as any nation would when attacked.
Ok, if you what to excuse killing Israeli women and children with history, let us go back 3000 years when Israel established its kingdom and made Jerusalem its holy city. The Jews have more of a historical right to the land they have now than any other nation.
Hezbollah hides among the innocents of Lebanon and people like you are simply not perceptive enough to recognize the difference in how Israel fights and how its enemies fight. International law (i.e. the rule of law) emphasizes leaving innocents out of war. You can't do that if your enemy hides among them.
By
The Conservative Guy, at 6:29 PM
So if you admit that Hezbollah will not disarm, then do tell, how is the conflict in the Middle East going to stop? It won't matter if Israel gives up all of the West Bank, Jerusalem, etc. Hezbollah will keep firing rockets and sending suicide bombers to civilian targets until all the Jews are dead or displaced. You imply that I am simplistic in my point of view, but that is not true. The battle over the Holy Land has been going on almost since the beginning of recorded time and I recognize the history and grievances are complex. However, I am simplistic in my solution because Hezbollah's no compromise mentality and refusal to disarm means there is only one way to solve the problem. Hezbollah must be defeated and wiped out militarily. Only through a total and decisive victory can Israel live at peace.
By
The Conservative Guy, at 10:03 PM
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