My experience at Citizens for Global Solutions has been a completely enjoyable one. From a work perspective all of the assignments were fun and challenging. There were a lot of chances to work on projects that actually make a difference. I felt like there was always enough work to do without being overwhelmed. There are opportunities to work on all kinds of aspects of a non-profit organization, and the staff was always willing to lend a hand.

From a personal aspect this has been one of the most fun summers I've ever had. The people that work here are all a total joy to be around. The work environment is friendly but with a sense of importance. I've made some great friends being here. It's also great to be in DC. There are a lot of chances to see what we're doing in action and to visit Capitol Hill and other landmarks.

I highly recommend it to people who are interested in government and how laws are made but I also really recommend it to people who aren't sure what they want to do but care about issues like the ones that CGS supports. All in all this summer has been a great experience and I would encourage anyone interested to apply.

The National Public Radio show "On Point" featured an hour long segment about the International Criminal Court on August 5th, 2009. It was called "To Catch a War Criminal" and featured two guest speakers: Pamela Yates, the director of the film The Reckoning which looks deeply into the workings of the ICC, and Christine Chung, the former senior trial attorney for the ICC.

Each woman discussed different parts of the court and their dealings with it. There was a brief description of what the court does, how it was established, how they build a case and issue arrest warrants, as well as a brief discussion of the court's relationship with the U.S. There were also clips from The Reckoning played, an inside look at the making of the film including how it felt to talk to the victims of these atrocities.

Throughout the show the discussion was prompted by questions called in by listeners. Many of them asked about the extent of the power of the ICC and if such an organization can really have an effect. Both Yates and Chung spoke of the court having a multi faceted effect on countries all over the world. Even the threat of an ICC investigation acts as a deterrent to war criminals.

"To Catch a War Criminal" is a great segment for both people that don't know much about the ICC and those that don't know much about The Reckoning. It is short and informative while also providing a very human approach to the atrocities committed by the countries the ICC is investigating. Yates also revealed that on the POV website there will be updates on the investigations and the trial of Lubanga.

To listen to this segment click here.

To watch The Reckoning click here.

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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke at the University of Nairobi in Kenya today and expressed the United States support of the International Criminal Court. Secretary Clinton was asked by a student how the U.S. expected Kenya to allow the ICC to come into their country when the U.S. is not a member itself. Secretary Clinton said thatthe fact that the U.S was not a member of the court was "a great regret but a fact." However she also said that "we have supported the court and continue to do so." She further added that ""I think we could have worked out some of the challenges that are raised concerning our membership byour own government, but that has not yet come to pass." Clinton strongly encouraged Kenyan officials to allow the court to intervene in post election violence throughout the country.

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A new film, called The Reckoning, is coming out on PBS on July 14th which will look at the workings and struggles of the International Criminal Court. The film follows Luis Moreno Ocampo, the prosecutor for the ICC, for three years as he battles genocidal criminals across four continents. These include the Lord's Resistance Army leaders in Uganda, Congolese war lords, the Columbia justice system, and the president of Sudan. The Reckoning touches on the two problems that the ICC faces. Not only do they deal with human rights violators but they must also fight to remain efficient and stir up enough political will from the countries involved. The atrocities shown in this movie are only touched on in the trailer but hopefully this movie will alert the American people and Congressional officials alike to the absolute necessity of an International Criminal Court.

This film is a great chance to make the ICC better known. There are many things that Citizens for Global Solutions is doing to promote the video and many ways that other organizations can get involved too. For instance a quick banner or blurb on a website would alert viewers to the films importance. Additionally the YouTube video of the trailer on a homepage or a blog post would also increase awareness, there is plenty of information available here. Citizens for Global Solutions is also available to send language to anyone who would like to post something about it in their newsletter or even an e-mail to members. There are even oppertunities to host a screening of the film. International Justice Day is coming up July 17th and that would also be a great day to promote this film. It is important that these atrocities are stopped and the first step is knowledge.

Robert McNamara has passed away today at the age of 93. He was most well known for being the eighth secretary of defense. He served under both President Kennedy and President Johnson from 1961-1968. He then went on to become the President of the World Bank. Even after retiring McNamara was very active in politics and organizations which promote peace.

His disagreements with President Johnson regarding the Vietnam War lead to his eventual resignation. In 1967 McNamara advised the President to stop sending in troops and bombing North Vietnam. After the war McNamara became an advocate for organizations like the International Criminal Court. He wanted to prevent another war like the Vietnam War and believed that the US needed to submit to the ICC. He also believed in the need for restrictions on the use of nuclear weapons. McNamara's experiences during the Vietnam War influenced his contributions to organizations like the ICC. His legacy is long and important and he will be remembered.

The United States and Russia have announced that they will hold talks aimed at reducing the amount of weapons, particularly nuclear weapons, on both sides.

President Obama and President Medvedev will meet at a summit in Moscow in a few days to announce the status of an arms reduction treaty. However it is expected that by December there will be more extensive and ambitious talks. These treaties are anticipated to reduce strategic weapons to 1,700 for each country as well as a reduction of "battlefield" weapons, which are easier to hide. The more extensive treaty is expected to take at least two years to negotiate but both countries are hopeful.

These talks would be huge step in the direction of peace for both countries. It is the hope that these discussions could lead to a more peaceful relationship between the U.S. and Russia. The resolution of this issue could potentially lead to resolutions of other strained issues.

The willingness of these two leaders to discuss these issues gives us hope that we are one step closer to a world without nuclear weapons.

To support the reduction of nuclear weapons ACT now!

Dr. John T. Oliver has published a new paper describing the history and benifits of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.  He goes into great detail regarding why now is the time for the U.S. to ratify this law.

Oliver begins by presenting the history of the Law of the Sea, beginning with it's first negotiations from 1973-1982. He also lays out the basic things that the convention covers such as rights and obligations of coastal states, scientific research, and protection of the marine environment. 157 states have signed the convention yet the US has not. At one point in 1994 the US came close to ratifying the Law of the Sea after President Reagan identified many provisions that needed to be changed. However the Senate has never had a full vote on the convention. 

Oliver then goes on to discuss the many ways that the Law of Sea benefits the U.S. One of the biggest is National Security. This law would provide resources necessary for fighting the global war on terrorism and protecting our military power overseas. As this is one of the most important issues for the United States it is surprising that this law has not been ratified. Oliver also discusses environmental and economic advantages as well as the war on drugs. The Law of the Sea would give the US territorial claims to the 200 nautical miles on its coast which would help the control of drug trafficking.

While Oliver goes into great detail about the benefits of this law he also debunks some misconceptions about it. For instance the idea that this law would restrict our sea based military operations, yet this law would actually make available more space for the Coast Guard to run drills and operations

The UNCLOS ensures safe international trade, and keeps the peace between many countries. As a political leader, the US needs to ratify this law in order to enhance their leadership in maritime affairs. The US cannot afford to be left out of important talks and decisions any longer.

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A new piece of legislation has come to the attention of many globally minded organizations, Citizens for Global Solutions included. The Crimes Against Humanity Act would make sure that those accused of crimes against humanity could be prosecuted in the United States. The bill would fill a gap in human rights law and ensure that those who should be brought to justice cannot escape by coming to the US.

 The United States has long been a leader in advocating for human rights. However there is     no legislation which makes sure that the United States courts have jurisdiction to prosecute  those who have committed crimes against humanity. The bill defines this as widespread and   systematic attacks directed against a civilian population that involve murder, enslavement, torture, rape, arbitrary detention, extermination, hostage taking, or ethnic cleansing. These things have been going on in many different countries all over the world and it is important that the US be able to hold these people accountable for their crimes. While the US has passed legislation that prohibits those who have committed genocide or torture there is still a gap and this bill would fill it.

It is important that this legislation gets the support that it needs. For this reason CGS as well as many other organizations have written a letter to Chairman Durbin urging him to show his support. Richard J. Durbin is the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Human Rights and the Law. His support would help to make sure that this very important piece of legislature is passed.

Recently The 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Bill was passed by both chambers of Congress. This bill will repay the U.S.'s debt to the United Nations which has accumulated since 1999 and appropriates $906 million for peacekeeping operations. This bill is an important demonstration of President Obama's commitment to showing U.S. leadership through diplomacy as well as his commitment to engaging effectively with the United Nations.

The actual amount of money appropriated from the bill to peacekeeping represents 1% of the whole, which demonstrates how relatively little it costs the US to maintain it's commitment to UN peacekeeping.

Citizens for Global Solutions applauds not only the United States paying back this debt but also many other sections of the bill. These include money given for international food, refugees and disaster assistance as well as prevention of the flu-pandemic, nuclear non-proliferation and an expansion of credit lines to the International Monetary Fund. All of these things will increase the U.S. involvement in the world and provide much needed assistance to other countries.

Link to the Press Release.

On the 16th of June, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars hosted a panel to discuss healthy solutions to climate change with Dr. Paul Esptein and Dr. Amanda Staudt.

The first issue raised was the realization that the current development path exceeds worst-case scenario models that were previously projected. The developing world's emissions are growing faster than was expected, and the efficiency of carbon sinks (oceans and forests) is less than what was thought. At this rate, the south-west U.S. and other places are on track to become arid, and 50% of the world's wildlife species will be extinct in the next few years. Dr. Staudt warned that this was the critical moment to avoid many of the irreversible effects of climate change, and she called for solutions such as the provision of wildlife corridors to allow species to migrate when their habitats are threatened, and support for H.R. 2454, the American Clean Energy and Security Act.

Dr. Epstein elaborated on these effects by discussing how they negatively impact our health. Extreme weather events, like droughts and floods, affect the water, soil, animals, and insect breeding grounds, which indirectly harm our health. Increased carbon content reduces crop yields, increases weeds, and also makes some plants poisonous. Other harmful consequences include the release of methane (a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide) from the permafrost in the Arctic, which occurs when the ice melts. The adjoining image shows a professor digging through arctic ice and lighting a flame to demonstrate the methane content in the ice.

Dr. Epstein recommended that we stick to solutions that have been insured against harmful side effects. These include plug-in hybrid electric cars, smart grids, wind energy, solar energy and conservation tillage. However, alternatives such as biofuels, nuclear fission, and carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) should not be developed until further studies and safeguards have been established. For instance, the production of biofuels releases harmful ozone by-products, and CCS leeches arsenic and lead, and disintegrates limestone.

In conclusion, the speakers stressed the urgency of the situation and called for regulation, public-private partnerships, and set rules. Dr. Staudt called this period a historic opportunity for us to change the course of development, and we hope that their perspectives and information on ways to address climate change will be heeded.

For more information, click here.