Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement …
—Isaiah 28:15
6771 U.S. Commitments
Formal treaties pledge the U.S. to defend 42 countries around the world. This does not include countries such as Israel covered by informal but nevertheless deep commitments, or by obligations to the United Nations.
The U.S. maintains more than 300 major military bases in 20 countries—and great numbers of smaller installations scattered across much of the earth.
American military forces now stationed in foreign countries total about 485,000. With these troops are 370,000 dependents.
6772 Is Intent A Contract?
The Canadian government was accused of concealing an uranium contract in 1961. Prime Minister Diefenbaker declared no contract existed. The Eldorado Mining and Refuning Company, Limited, insisted that the company has a firm contract—that “an exchange of letter of intent is a firm contract.”
This political row became a battle of words and their meanings. It was all about $192,000,000 worth of uranium that Canada hopes to sell to Britain in the 1963–66 period, and the nice differences between a letter of intent, a commitment, a contract, and a formal contract.
6773 The Helsinki Conference
Thirty-five national leaders finally completed a three-day conference in Helsinki, Finland. After delivering a 20-minute speech, each representative signed a 25,000-word document worked out by the conference negotiators during the previous 22 months, when they haggled over the text, sometimes bogging down in disagreement over the placement of commas.
The National Observer says, “The result of their labour is something akin to what 35 gourmet cooks might create if each contributed to the brewing of the broth: None would achieve the taste he sought, but neither would he be wholly displeased by the flavour.”
The 96-page document which was finally signed “is the quintessence of compromise. The language is studded with ambiguities. Some clauses apparently contradict others. Jabberwockian sentences puzzled even many of the negotiators. Moreover, the document exacts no legal obligation from any of the signatory nations. In the end, it is a document for all seasons, nothing more nor less than what any of the 35 nations interpret it to be … American officials see value in the agreement; though not legally binding, it will carry considerable “moral” force … U.S. officials readily concede that the agreement contains no machinery for enforcement. Nations are free to comply with those provisions they favor, ignore those they object to.”
—Prairie Overcomer
6774 Antarctic Treaty
The Antarctic Treaty of 1961 provides that the continent was to be considered the entire world’s property until 1991, a place to pursue the interests of science for the good of all.
The Antarctic is one-tenth of all the land on earth.
6775 Weapons Treaties
The explosive rush of weapons development is now so great that treaties cannot be written fast enough to match the pace of technology.
Russia and the U.S. in November 1974, negotiated a provisional agreement that was believed to curb the nuclear-arms race. Within a few months, military technology had placed the terms of the accord out-of-date.
6776 SALT Agreement
Under the first strategic-arms-limitation accord, called SALT and signed in Moscow May 26, 1972, the U.S. and Russia agreed to a numerical ceiling on their offensive missiles.
The five-year agreement gave Russia an advantage, permitting the Soviets a total of 2,358 land-based and sea-based missiles, compared with 1,710 for the U.S.
The U.S. had counted on its lead in MIRVs—multiple, independently-targeted reentry vehicles—to offset the apparent Soviet advantage. In this way, a strategic balance was supposed to have been achieved.
But the Soviet government proceeded with a program of MIRV-ing, and by 1975 were installing these enormously destructive devices. The 5-year accord expired in Oct. 3, 1977.
6777 U.S. Anti-Missile System Dismantled
Washington (UPI)—To protect itself against a Soviet missile action, the United States spent about $6 billion developing an anti-missile missile which finally became operational Oct. 1, 1975.
But weeks later, the Senate voted to put the missiles in the nation’s only antiballistic missile (ABM) system into mothballs. Earlier on Oct. 2, the House of Representatives voted to dismantle the facility, and the Pentagon has drawn up plans for taking it apart.
Senator Kennedy, who supported the proposal, argued that the ABM defense did not increase the nation’s security and represented an unwarranted financial burden.
6778 The Pope’s Bull
Prompted by widespread fears that new weapons of mass destruction might wipe out Western civilization, the Pope issued a bull forbidding their use by any Christian state against another, whatever the provocation.
The hydrogen bomb? Germ warfare? Actually, the story appeared in 1139 and was issued by Pope Innocent II. He was talking about the newly-invented crossbow.
—Bits & Pieces
6779 Munich Agreement
Thirty years ago the Western democracies sold out a third of Czechoslovakia to Nazi tyranny. The transaction at Munich on September 30, 1938, placed such a blot upon history that the city’s name now appears in dictionaries as a commonly used term denoting dishonorable appeasement.
The Czechs have never recovered from Munich. The relative ease with which they moved into the Communist camp after World War II may be attributable less to their taste for Marxism than to their wariness of the West, which let them down so badly.
—Christianity Today
6780 Queen’s Personal Request
A draft of a treaty of amity and commerce was sent out from England to Madagascar, and on the margin these words were written: “Queen Victoria asks, as a personal favour to herself, that the Queen of Madagascar will allow no persecution of the Christians.”
A month afterwards the treaty was signed in Madagascar, with the insertion of the following words: “In accordance with the wish of Queen Victoria, the Queen of Madagascar agrees there shall be no persecution of the Christians in Madagascar.”
6781 Penn’s Agreement With Indians
The value of a peacemaker in national life cannot be overestimated. When William Penn began his duties as chief magistrate, a great conference was appointed with the native chiefs. Penn, accompanied by a few unarmed friends, clad in the simple garb of the Quakers, came to the appointed spot. The chieftains, also unarmed, sat in a semicircle on the ground.
Standing before them and speaking by an interpreter, he said: “My friends, we have met on the broad pathway of good faith. We are all one flesh and blood. Being brethren, no advantage shall be taken on either side. When disputes arise, we will settle them in council. Between us there shall be nothing but openness and love.” The chiefs replied: “While the rivers run and the sun shines we will live in peace with the children of William Penn.”
No record was made of the treaty, for none was needed. Its terms were written, not on decaying parchment, but on the living hearts of men. For more than seventy years, during which the province remained under the control of the Friends, not a single war whoop was heard within the borders of Pennsylvania. The Quaker hat and coat proved to be a better defense for the wearer than the coat of mail and musket.
—History of the World
6782 Negotiating With Russia
Former Secretary of State John Foster Dulles reported at the NATO conference in Paris that dealing with the Russians is something like the situation encountered by a husband who had argued with his wife so bitterly they had stopped speaking. Finally, the husband decided to break the impasse.
“You know, dear,” he said, “I’ve been thinking over our argument.”
“Well?” she snapped.
“Yes, dear, I’ve decided to agree with you after all.”
“Won’t do you any good,” she retorted. “I’ve changed my mind.”
6783 “We Have A Treaty”
Shortly before his death, the Duke of Burgundy was presiding over the Cabinet Council of France. A proposal was made by the ministers that would violate a treaty but would secure important advantages for the country. Many “good” reasons were offered to justify the deed. The Duke listened in silence, and when all had spoken, he closed the conference without giving approval. Placing his hand upon a copy of the original agreement, he said with firmness in his voice, “Gentlemen, we have a TREATY!”
—Our Daily Bread
6784 Epigram On Treaties
• When nations talk about reducing armies, every nation wants the last sword. —Frank Jay Markey
See also: Peace Settlements