Monday, June 17, 2002

QUOTE OF THE DAY "If pro is opposite of con, then what is the opposite of progress? Congress!" -- Seen on wall of mens restroom, House of Representatives, Washington, DC 5:43:45 PM    comment

Rhino here: Last week, the Shrub... oops, I mean Bush Administration formally withdrew from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in order to develop an anti-missile defence system, which was prohibited by the ABM treaty. Washington had given advance notice of its decision in December. Russian legislators strongly criticized the move and American legislators filed suit to try and stop this newest unilateral move. I say "newest unilateral move" because Shrub and his cronies have been unilaterially pulling out of or refusing to sign onto one after another international agreements. More on those in future Rhino Lists. 5:38:27 PM    comment

"Russian Legislators Condemn US Withdrawal From ABM Treaty" June 14, 2002, Agence France Presse MOSCOW -- Russian legislators strongly criticized as "a serious political mistake" the United States' unilateral withdrawal from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty. In a declaration the deputies in Russia's lower-house Duma said that the US withdrawal from the treaty "could deal a severe blow to international security." They also called for extra measures to ensure Russia's security... Russian Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov on Friday sought to minimise the threat to Russia's security, arguing that the US anti-missile system existed only on paper and that it made no sense to talk about counter-measures at this stage. The declaration on strategic stability was adopted almost unanimously in the Duma, with 359 votes in favour and one abstention. Russia had called the ABM treaty a "cornerstone of strategic stability." 5:36:47 PM    comment

"Lawmakers Sue Over ABM Pact Withdrawal" June 12, 2002 - Washington Post by Neely Tucker Thirty-one members of Congress sued the Bush administration in federal court yesterday, charging that President Bush violated the Constitution when he decided earlier this year to drop a 30-year-old nuclear weapons pact with Russia. The 12-page lawsuit asks a federal judge to order President Bush to stop plans for the U.S. withdrawal from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty with Russia, which is scheduled to take effect tomorrow. The suit follows last week's unsuccessful attempt by Democrats in Congress who wanted to challenge the Bush decision through legislation. That plan failed in the House, 254-169. In December, Bush gave Russia notice that he wanted to pull out of the treaty, saying he wanted the United States to be free to respond to nuclear threats from terrorists or rogue nations. The treaty requires six months' notice for any party to withdraw. Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D-Ohio), who led the House attempt to overturn Bush's decision, said yesterday the Constitution requires the president to obtain congressional approval before ending international treaties. "The president can't pick and choose the laws he wants to repeal," Kucinich said yesterday. "We are taking this step to protect the right of Congress to take part in the lawmaking process." Anne Womack, a White House spokeswoman, said administration officials had yet to see the suit and declined comment. There is little constitutional case law on the role of the House or Senate in concluding treaties, but a 1979 U.S. Supreme Court case might provide the administration with precedent. Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-Ariz.) sued President Jimmy Carter for his unilateral decision to end the Mutual Defense Treaty with Taiwan. A divided Supreme Court ruled that the president had the constitutional power to end a treaty, and Carter's decision was upheld. "Given the Goldwater decision, I wouldn't expect that suit to get very far," said Mark Tushnet, a professor of constitutional law at Georgetown University Law Center. Reprinted under the Fair Use doctrine of international copyright law ( http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html ). All copyrights belong to original publisher. 5:34:50 PM    comment

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