Sovereignty surrendered
By Henry Lamb
web posted May 11, 2009
Five international treaties stand poised, ready for ratification by the new nearly filibuster-proof Senate, pushed by the new, nearly-giddy administration. Each of these treaties surrenders a little more of our national sovereignty to an international body governed by a majority of nations that despise the United States.
Treaties are voluntary agreements among nations to prohibit certain actions, or to accomplish certain objectives. They are typically not enforceable – at this time - except through economic sanctions or nasty tirades at the United Nations or through the international media. Since 1998, however, a new dimension has entered the world – the International Criminal Court. The ICC has not been ratified by the United States, but clearly could be added to the list of treaties that are ready for ratification.
The ICC was created to prosecute genocide, war crimes, aggression, and – crimes against humanity. Who decides when a national activity falls within the jurisdiction of the ICC? The ICC, of course. So far, the ICC doesn't have the clout to exercise the authority it has on paper, but the mechanism is there. All it needs is the cooperation and funding of the United States and it will begin to spread its wings.
It is worth noting that at nearly every U.N. Climate Change Meeting, a delegate from one or more nations will take the podium to bad-mouth the United States for its refusal to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and label the refusal as a "crime against humanity." The course this administration is charting will empower the ICC to prosecute individuals and companies within sovereign nations for treaty violations that they label "crimes against humanity."
The Convention on Biological Diversity
This treaty provides for government control of virtually all land use. The 16-page treaty is accompanied by an 1140-page instruction book called the Global Biodiversity Assessment, which, on page 993, identifies the Wildlands Project as the "central theme" of the treaty's land use management scheme.
The Convention on the Law of the Sea
Three times, this treaty has been presented to the Senate for ratification, and three times, it did not garner enough support to warrant a vote. This Senate is different; it can, and likely will ratify this thrice-rejected abomination. The Convention on the law of the Sea explicitly says that the exercise on national sovereignty within our territorial seas must conform to the terms of this treaty and other international law. Ratification of this treaty is absolutely the surrender of national sovereignty. It also designates the global commons to be the "heritage of all mankind" under the jurisdiction of the United Nations. And it creates an International Seabed Authority with the power to levy taxes in the form of permit fees and royalties.
The Convention on the Rights of the Child
This treaty contains 54 Articles and conveys nearly as many new rights to children. The "right" to receive information" from any source – despite what the parents may have to say about the source – is one example. Essentially, this treaty takes the authority to make decisions about children from the parents and gives the authority to the government.
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
This is another U.N. treaty that seeks to "equalize" everyone by bestowing rights on some people and penalizing others. A CEDAW compliance committee could require 50/50 employment of men and women, regardless of the task or employer's desire, and, fully implemented, could require that men and women divide housework equally - regardless of which spouse might work outside the home. It is a ridiculous treaty that should not be ratified just to curry favor from the international community.
Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and Other Related Materials
A good way to ignore the Second Amendment is to ratify this treaty, as 30 of the 34 American states (countries) have done. A product of the Clinton era, and now resurrected by President Obama, this treaty would give treaty authority to the regulation of all firearms. Claiming that the Mexican drug problem is worsened by the flow of guns from the United States, the president has announced his intention to push for the treaty's ratification.
There are more international treaties, agreements, and resolutions in the wings, waiting in turn to crash down upon unsuspecting Americans, all in the name of "resetting" our image with the international community. These five treaties are at the front of the line and already designated for quick Senate action. Each treaty surrenders a little more national sovereignty, but to the current administration, national sovereignty doesn't appear to be nearly as important as international approval.
Henry Lamb is the author of "The Rise of Global Governance," Chairman of Sovereignty International , and founder of the Environmental Conservation Organization (ECO) and Freedom21, Inc.