Is the United States above international law?

[struggle4progress]

Jose Miguel Insulza
Secretary General
Organization of American States
19th Street & Constitution Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006
USA

Dear Secretary General Insulza,

A situation has arisen within the United States that begs for urgent action under Article 18 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.

Article 18 of the Democratic Charter states:

When situations arise in a member state that may affect the development of its democratic political institutional process or the legitimate exercise of power, the Secretary General or the Permanent Council may, with prior consent of the government concerned, arrange for visits or other actions in order to analyze the situation. The Secretary General will submit a report to the Permanent Council, which will undertake a collective assessment of the situation and, where necessary, may adopt decisions for the preservation of the democratic system and its strengthening.

In 2000, the cheating at the polls was so blatant in Florida that George W. Bush had to be appointed president by the Supreme Court.

In 2004, he was once more "elected," but by a process that involved a 7,000,000 vote fraud, in which the electoral malignancy had spread from Florida to at least 25 other states.

Critics of this administration have been hounded out of public office. Peaceful protesters of his policies are beaten, arrested, attacked with pepper spray, electrocuted with stung guns, and shot with rubber bullets. Reporters are thrown into jail for refusing to disclose their sources. <snip>

http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=34684

[Vincardog]

1. Kick and nominated

[Spiffarino]

2. As long as we're the biggest kid on the playground,

...our country is above the law.

Much as I wish we'd use our tremendous power to do good here and around the world, it seems there will always be those who will misuse it for profit.

And, if Bush and Co. succeed in their bid to destroy our constitutional democracy, we will soon go the way of Rome: from Republic, to empire, to second-rate power.

[Daphne08]

3. Can you imagine how much good we could do?

We could probably end world hunger, rein in repressive regimes (for real) and be the world leader in an effort to end war. So many, many things...

if only we could. :cry:

[ixion]

4. we will not always be the biggest on the playground

the fact that we're borrowing 2 billion a day just to contunue to float an infrastructure built on the premise of cheap oil is a sure sign of trouble for the big kid.

Also, the first rule of empire is that they decline over time. That's just an historical fact.

At that point, it would be nice if we still had a few friends on the block, but at the rate we're going, I don't think that will be the case. :-(

[aion]

5. Internation Treaties

If international law doesn't exist, then what glue holds together international treaties?

[Pachamama]

6. No, but the US seems sure as hell to think they are above int'l law!

And hell, they stole the 2000 and 2004 elections and GOT AWAY WITH IT! With not a shot fired and little outcry....so hell, why should they care what anyone thinks and if anything, they know they can get away with anything, so why stop.....