On May 27, 2009 I attended a panel discussion on the North Korean Nuclear Crisis presented by the Brookings Institution. Considering the controversy surrounding North Korea because of their announcement that they tested nuclear bombs this past Monday, May 25, 2009, the discussion focused on why North Korea did what it did and what the U.S. should do next. Panelists included Richard C. Bush, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution and Director of its Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies; Michael O'Hanlon, a Senior Fellow in Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution; Carlos Pascual, Vice President and Director of Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution; and Dennis C. Wilder, a Visiting Fellow at the John L. Thorton China Center in the Foreign Policy Studies Program at the Brookings Institution.

O'Hanlon, who previously advocated for a broader strategy with more cooperation when dealing with North Korea, now says that they have gone too far. Because of their actions, the U.S. has a more legitimate argument when approaching China about signing onto the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI)- which creates an international agreement between parties to allow nations to search ships carrying suspect cargo and seize illegal weapons or missile technologies. Bush shed some light on why North Korean leader Kim Jong Il feels the need to test nuclear weapons. The need to be accepted as one of the world's nuclear powers and the belief that North Korea is threatened by the U.S. and needs a deterrent were among a few of the reasons. Whatever the reasons, the international community needs to make clear that this behavior is unacceptable and Kim Jong Il needs to conform to international standards when dealing with weapons of mass destruction.

The White House released its list of treaty priorities for the 111th Congress last week. Here is the complete list of treaties that the administration supports immediate action on:

Comprehensive Nuclear- Test-Ban Treaty, done at New York September 10, 1996 and signed by the United States on September 24, 1996 (Treaty Doc. 105-28); submitted to the Senate on September 23, 1997.

Treaty with Australia Concerning Defense Trade Cooperation, done at Sydney September 5,2007 (Treaty Doc. 110-10); submitted to the Senate on December 3, 2007.

Treaty with the United Kingdom Concerning Defense Trade Cooperation, done at Washington and London on June 21 and 26, 2007 (Treaty Doc. 110-7); submitted to the Senate on September 20,2007.

Annex VI on Liability Arising From Environmental Emergencies to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, adopted on June 14, 2005 (Treaty Doc. 111-2); submitted to the Senate on April 2, 2009.

Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels, done at Canberra on June 19,2001 (Treaty Doc. 110-22); submitted to the Senate on September 26,2008.

International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, adopted on November 3,2001 and signed by the United States on November 3, 2002 (Treaty Doc. 110-19); submitted to the Senate on July 7, 2008.

1996 Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972. Done at London November 7, 1996; signed by the United States on March 31, 1998 (Treaty Doc. 110-5); submitted to the Senate on September 4, 2007.

Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, done at Stockholm May 22, 2001 and signed by the United States on May 23, 2001 (Treaty Doc. 107-5); submitted to the Senate on May 7, 2002.

Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade, done at Rotterdam September 10, 1998 and signed by the United States on September 11,1998 (Treaty Doc. 106-21); submitted to the Senate on February 9, 2000.

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, done at New York December 18, 1979 and signed by the United States on July 17, 1980 (Treaty Doc. Ex. R, 96th Cong., 2nd Sess.); submitted to the Senate on November 12, 1980.

Treaty between the United States and Rwanda Concerning the Encouragement and Reciprocal Protection of Investment, signed at Kigali on February 19,2008 (Treaty Doc. 110-23); submitted to the Senate on November 20,2008.

Convention between the United States and Malta for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income, done at Valletta August 8, 2008 (Treaty Doc. 1I I-I); submitted to the Senate on January 15,2009.

International Labor Organization Convention No. 111 Concerning Discrimination in Respect of Employment and Occupation, adopted by the International Labor Conference at its 42nd Session held at Geneva on June 25, 1958 (Treaty Doc. 105-45); submitted to the Senate on May 18, 1998.

Inter-American Convention Against the Illicit Manufacturing of and Trafficking in Firearms, Ammunition, Explosives, and other Related Materials, done at Washington November 13, 1997 and signed by the United States on November 14, 1997 (Treaty Doc. 105-49); submitted to the Senate on June 9, 1998.

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, done at Montego Bay December 10, 1982 (the "Convention") and the Agreement relating to Implementation of Part XI of the Convention, done at New York July 28, 1994 (the "Agreement"); Agreement signed by the United States on July 29, 1994 (Treaty Doc. 103-39); submitted to the Senate on October 7, 1994.

Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel, done at New York December 9, 1994 and signed by the United States on December 19, 1994 (Treaty Doc. 107-1); submitted to the Senate on January 3, 2001.

Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance, adopted at The Hague on November 23, 2007, and signed by the United States on that same date (Treaty Doc. 110-21); submitted to the Senate on September 8, 2008

Citizens for Global Solutions was excited to see that three treaties that we have been lobbying for are included in this list. Ratifying the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) would be a huge step forward for America's leadership internationally.

To read the entire priority list, click here.

I attended the House Foreign Affairs Committee Mark-Up Hearing for the Foreign Relations Authorization Bill today, and I was pleased to see that the Bill will be accepted with limited amendments. The amendments that have been added only seek to expand and suggest areas that the State Department should use its funds, not to inhibit the progress of or cut back on the amount of funding for State Department actions. Though it went through successfully, it was not without opposition from the Republican minority. They suggested an amendment in the form of a substitute Bill that would have eliminated the repayment of arrearages to the United Nations, capped increases in funding at 3.7% (the current rate of inflation) of the previous year's numbers, and eliminated funding for U.N. peacekeeping operations, Though the substitute was voted down, I think it's time for our Republican Congresspeople to learn from their elders...

Yesterday President Obama met with Former Secretary of State George Shultz, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Sam Nunn, and former Defense Secretary William Perry to discuss how to rid the world of nuclear weapons. It's great to see this incredibly important subject moving from a visionary goal to a real world challenge.  In his remarks Obama said:

"I don't think anybody would accuse these four gentlemen of being dreamers. They're hard-headed, tough defenders of American interests and American security. But what they have come together to help galvanize is a recognition that we do not want a world of continued nuclear proliferation, and that in order for us to meet the security challenges of the future, America has to take leadership in this area."

The group agreed on prioritizing the revitalization of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, working with Russia to reduce nuclear stockpiles, moving forward on ratifying the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and securing nuclear material that could "fall into the hands of terrorists."

Obama's vision and sense of priority are on target and should be applauded. The fact that the four senior statesmen "support enthusiastically what the President is doing" is significant as well. This is how consensus is built and the world changes.

But the one point of disagreement between Obama and the four is probably the most encouraging part of the conversation. Obama noted that the Shultz, Kissinger, Perry and Nunn working together and with him is "a reminder of the long tradition of bipartisan foreign policy that has been the hallmark of America at moments of greatest need, and that's the kind of spirit that we hope will be reflected in our administration."

However Shultz upped the ante saying to Obama that,

"I would only have one word of slight disagreement. You said that you welcome the fact that this is bipartisan. And, well, it is. At the same time, I think all of us have said, when people have told that to us, that it's really nonpartisan. This is a subject that ought to somehow get up above trying to get a partisan advantage. And it's of such importance that we need to take it on its own merits. And that's the way we've proceeded. And that's the way, at least it seems to us, you've proceeded."

For too long partisan politics have gotten in the way of responsible global policy that's good for America and good for the world. This change of tone is important and has implications far beyond the nuclear debate.

Thank you Mr. President. I hope Congress is paying attention to how this is done.

Don Kraus

Submitted by Becky Tan, Manhattan Beach Chapter Leader

A few years ago (Nov. ‘05) we were given a Partners for Global Change Challenge to have each of our local Mayors sign on to the Mayor's Climate Protection Agreement, a movement started by Mayor Nickels of Seattle, Washington, in response to The U.S. Government's failure to sign on to the Kyoto Agreement. This seemed like a wonderful local action project for the newly formed Manhattan Beach group. The Mayor and City Manager were, at that time, less than enthused about this project. However, with repeated visits, networking with another local group - Environmental Priorities Network, letters to the Editor, petition drives, a new mayor, and time, we prevailed in this effort. Not only has Manhattan Beach signed on to the agreement, but also, by encouraging the other local group to get actively involved, 13 adjacent cities that have signed on, and all the cities are actively working on climate protection issues. Things didn't stop here however. Last month, (Apr. '09) BMW announced they would like to lease 10 electric cars to Manhattan Beach. Beginning in early May, the automaker will disperse 500 vehicles to municipalities, companies and regular folk alike on both sides of the country in exchange for feedback before the cars hit the market. "This will help us gain first experience with an electric car," Jambor said. Most testers will pay $850 a month for the vehicle, but Manhattan Beach could get a special fleet price of $10 per car, she said. Manhattan Beach's staunch environmental activism of late factored into BMW approaching the city for the program."

I would like to think that the work by Citizens for Global Solutions helped get the ball rolling. Who knows where those early efforts will end.

On Wednesday May 20, 2009, the full House Committee on Foreign Affairs will meet to discuss H.R. 2410, the Foreign Relations Authorization Bill introduced by Committee Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA). Citizens for Global Solutions applauds Mr. Berman for his attention to the need for increased engagement between the United States and the international community. The Bill includes legislation that runs parallel to the interests of Citizens for Global Solutions, and we encourage the rest of the Committee to support these measures.

The legislation that we find most important includes:

1. Paying back our dues and arrearages to the United Nations and other international organizations, as well as synchronizing our payments so that they are received at the first of the year for which they apply;

2. Reauthorizing and expanding the Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI);

3. Paying our share of international peacekeeping activities, as well as increasing our logistical support for such missions; and

4. Developing our capacity for early warning and genocide prevention to combat situations where mass atrocities against civilians occur.

We urge the Committee to pass this legislation as is in order to show that the United States is committed to working both with the international community and from within to meet the challenges that our world faces today.

Press Release

What do Sudan, Somalia, Iran, and the United States have in common? They are just a few of the states that have yet to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women [CEDAW]. The United States remains the only developed nation in the world to not have ratified CEDAW. The state to ratify CEDAW most recently was Qatar. On April 26, 2009, Qatar ratified CEDAW without any reservations to the Convention. This Convention is necessary for the promotion of the rights of women and girls throughout the world. Ratification would give the United States leverage and positive influence in the field of international women's rights. U.S. criticism of human rights abusers can be rejected because the U.S. has not ratified this fundamental human rights treaty. The time to ratify is now because the support is there! When Vice President Biden was Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee he was one of the leading proponents of the treaty. President Barack Obama has expressed his support for treaty ratification. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is even quoted as saying, "The CEDAW treaty [is] the most authoritative UN negotiated treaty to protect women around the world from discrimination. The United States signed this agreement in 1980. It is past time that we became a party to this convention." It is almost 30 years since President Jimmy Carter signed the Convention, let's not let it go any longer without being ratified.

Yesterday, May 12, Army Lieutenant General Stanley McChrystal was recommended by Defense Secretary Robert Gates to replace the former top U.S. and NATO commander. McChrystal joins four ambassadors who are second-in-command for the region.

This fusion of both military and nonmilitary personnel begs the question: What role does diplomacy play in stabilization and restoration of states? How can military and nonmilitary actors work together to strengthen the process? This was the subject of an event Wednesday, March 13, at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Speakers included former Ambassador to NATO under President Clinton Robert Hunter, and Thomas Boyatt, former Ambassador to Colombia and Burkina Faso.

It was explained by the Ambassadors that the way in which we think about international politics, military and nonmilitary work, and the interactions between them needs to be restructured. All of these areas are highly interdependent upon one another and it is necessary for each to work effectively with the others. However, there are many factors preventing this cooperation from occurring.

Nonmilitary personnel need training. Those in the military spend one third of their careers in school, an amount of time much greater than the schooling of the Foreign Service Officer. The government's military budget outweighs that of the Department of State, nonmilitary aid and international institutions at a ratio of 17 to 1. The U.S. spends more money on military affairs than all other countries, combined. People aren’t able to do their jobs, Hunter said, Ambassadors need “walking around money” and the authority to use it without having to seek prior approval up the chain of command.

Lastly, the Ambassadors explained, the government needs to learn how to incorporate nongovernmental organizations into diplomacy. State Department Appropriations FY2010 is speculated to announce a new Foreign Service career track, concentrating on Service members who serve at international organizations and multilateral institutions. This may well help bridge the gap between government and NGOs, amending one of the flaws pointed out by Ambassadors Boyatt and Hunter.

Former President Jimmy Carter spoke at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, May 12. During the hearing it seemed the panel's main goal was to hear what Carter had to say about the current climate crisis and how it affects United States foreign relations.

Senators Kerry and Lugar made it a point to highlight the nation's addiction to oil, as well as the resulting need to create and use new forms of clean energy. This is caused by our relationship with OPEC members who supply the U.S. and other countries with oil. Our dependency on the resource has made foreign relations issues regarding national security and the import deficit more difficult to negotiate.

Both Senators praised Carter for his efforts to bring about change in how we use energy during his administration. Even though Carter had already made it clear that climate change and new renewable energy sources needed to be addressed, following Carter's presidency, Reagan and other presidents decided climate change was not a priority. In his testimony, Carter used examples of other countries that have already made the change. He cited Spain, which is now close to using wind energy for almost 50% of its energy sources. Carter also asserted that the President himself needs to make the push for change in renewable energy sources in order for anything to really happen.

Finally, Carter asserted that the United States needs to get other countries, such as China and India, on to the same agenda as the U.S. regarding clean energy. He also stated that the nation needs to take a firm stand as a leader in the upcoming Copenhagen meetings; this would be the best chance for the United States to take a lead role for climate change efforts in the international arena.

On Wednesday, May 6, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations held a hearing with Senator John Kerry presiding. The hearing addressed prevention of nuclear proliferation in Iran and challenges it posed to the global community.  Witnesses included District Attorney and Assistant District Attorney for New York County, Robert Morgenthau and Adam Kaufmann, as well as Former Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns. The hearing focused on two points: first, Iran’s illegally funded operations for nuclear proliferation and terrorist activities; second, the use of effective diplomacy and the hurdles and opportunities it offered.

The recently uncovered scandals at Lloyds Bank have forced Government officials to dissect hundreds of thousands of transactions made by the chain, used to help Iran filter millions of dollars in banned transactions through United States financial branches. The beneficiaries, proven associates of Hamas, would help to further Iran’s quest to increase funding for uranium enrichment.

Burns offered a unique approach to the issue by emphasizing the importance of diplomacy. He applauded Obama’s encouragement of diplomatic relations between the United States and Iran. At the same time, however, Burns pointed out that the country must not dismiss the possible use of force. If Iran continues to pursue corruption, non-cooperation, and intentions to produce nuclear weapons, the U.S. must present a united front with Russia and China. In this case, sanctions are inevitable and multilateral cooperation is a necessity.

As explained by the experts, the United States does not request a regime change in Iran. Rather, it requests the nation to cooperate with efforts towards a diplomatic approach to finding common ground.

For more information about U.S policy on nuclear weapons see Promoting a World Without Nuclear Weapons.