[futureceo31]

That is the point. There is no international law here that is even applicable. I mean, if any international law should be applicable, we should go after the french for helping Saddam against UN resolutions.

[Piranha]

I agree with President Bush's sentiment, and I think this is a brilliant negotiating ploy to get these countries to pony up on the debt forgiveness that Baker is negotiating.

International treaties are important, though. They are mentioned in the US Constition, which gives the President the right to negotiate them (with the consent of 2/3 of the Senate). Nevertheless, the President can unilaterally terminate any US treaty, see Kucinich v. Bush, decided August 5, 2002 in the US District Court for the District of Columbia.

If the limited-bidding program proposed by the Pentagon violates an international treaty that the US is party to, this would be a very serious thing. If the Germans are just blowing smoke, that's another story.