Recently in International Law Category

It is a compelling scene - thousands in the streets of Iran - calling for freedom - fighting for free and fair elections.  And, Barry, what is most troubling - but not necessarily surprising - is the Iranian regime's reaction - the use of deadly violence to quell the protests and a flagrant disregard for international law and basic human rights.

President Obama condemned the violence in a news conference today and used his strongest language yet, saying the world is "appalled and outraged" by Iran's actions.

And, the House and Senate passed separate resolutions in support of the Iranian protesters.

Since the election last week, nearly 20 Iranians have been killed - including the murder of a young Iranian girl whose killing was captured on video and posted online. 

As you know, Jay, I am not unsympathetic to the plight of the many of the people you represent around the world.  There are strong human rights arguments to be made in asylum cases in Europe--and frankly strong ones to be made in the United States as well.

However, tomorrow's speech by the President in Cairo is probably not the time or place to highlight with great specificity religious persecution in the Islamic world.  I would expect him to do what he did in Turkey earlier this year: explain that the United States is committed to democracy and religious freedom and expect those principles to be exemplars to the rest of the world.  The President noted at that time: "I've said before that one of the great strengths of the United States is- although as I mentioned we have a very large Christian population- we do not consider ourselves a Christian nation, or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation.  We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values."

In this space, we talk about a variety of issues - mostly along 'church/state' lines.  Barry, I am concerned about something I see developing in our 'state' - in our nation - and I want to see what you think.

What is troubling to me is a new - and what I believe - is a dangerous direction that President Obama is pursuing.  I am not alone in expressing concern about the Administration's new strategy of internationalism - embracing foreign and economic policies that may very well put U.S. sovereignty at risk.

Through its foreign and economic policies, the Administration is embracing an ideology of global governance - a strategy that may put at risk our national sovereignty - our constitutional framework - all in the interest of international cooperation. 

Barry, I just returned from the Middle East where I witnessed firsthand the terror that the Israelis face from the longstanding attacks by Hamas - rockets launched into Israel causing death, injury and terror.

I was in two Israeli cities - Ashkelon and Sderot - where more than 8,000 Hamas-fired rockets have landed over the years.  During my visit, we were sent to shelters as Hamas continued launching its rockets in those cities. 

I had the opportunity to go to Sderot with Israeli Middle East expert and former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Colonel Raanan Gissin. Colonel Gissin, the Senior Advisor to former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who told me quite clearly that he believes the war Israel is now engaged in is really a war against Iran.  Hamas is fighting this war as the proxy for Iran, he said.

Israel knows that it must remove the terrorists and that is what its campaign has focused on during the past 10 days.  Israel is making progress against an enemy who uses the civilian population in Gaza as a shield - to hide its weapons and its leadership. 

Israel must defend itself.  Even now, Hamas is stepping up its rocket attacks in Israel  and is urging Palestinians to 'crush' Israel.

And, now there's growing pressure at the United Nations from many Arab countries to pass a resolution to condemn Israel.  What's noteworthy is that none of the resolutions under consideration mention the longstanding and ongoing terror campaign waged by Hamas with its rockets fired at Israeli civilians.

President-elect Obama has said little about the current situation in Gaza saying he won't make any public comments until he's inaugurated.  But at the White House today, President Bush accurately singled out Hamas for starting the current conflict by violating an earlier cease-fire. Any new cease-fire, President Bush said "must have the conditions in it so that Hamas does not use Gaza as a place from which to launch rockets."

Even Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid understands what's at stake:  "I think what the Israelis are doing is very important," Reid said. "I think this terrorist organization, Hamas, has got to be put away."  

That is a priority.