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Ex-Defense chief Rumsfeld to face off with military brass over Law of the Sea
The Hill ^ | June 8, 2012 | Julian Pecquet

Posted on 06/08/2012 11:18:16 AM PDT by jazusamo

Donald Rumsfeld is returning to Capitol Hill next week to testify

against the United States joining the United Nations's Law of the Sea treaty, pitting him squarely against the military brass that he used to command as former President George W. Bush's secretary of Defense.

Rumsfeld's testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee is especially relevant because he was former President Reagan's emissary against the treaty back in 1982, when international momentum was for it. Proponents of the treaty have been trotting out former Reagan officials — former Secretary of State George Shultz, former Deputy National Security Adviser John Negroponte — to argue that changes to the treaty would have met with Reagan's approval, but Rumsfeld's appearance throws a wrench in that strategy.

Critics say it would curtail the U.S. military's freedom of navigation while allowing a UN agency to directly tax U.S. oil-and-gas companies.

Rumsfeld wasn't available to comment.

“The so-called United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea was designed to codify navigation rights in international waters,” he writes in his memoir, Known and Unknown. “But it had grown into something considerably more ambitious, with a proviso that would put all natural resources found in the seabeds of international waters … into the hands of what was ominously called the International Seabed Authority.”

Reagan's attorney general, Edwin Meese, has also been leading the charge against ratification of the treaty.

"With the treaty again under consideration by the Senate,” Meekswrote in the Los Angeles Times this week, “it's important to note that Reagan's objections to it were anything but trivial.”

Rumsfeld was invited to speak by committee Chairman John Kerry (D-Mass.), who has vowed to invite witnesses on all sides of the issue despite his personal support for the treaty. Rumsfeld will be testifying next Thursday afternoon along with Negroponte and John Bellinger, a former legal adviser to the State Department under Bush, who supported ratification.

Kerry's committee is also holding another hearing Thursday morning with current military officials, who argue for rapid ratification as China expands into the South China Sea, where the treaty recognizes the sovereignty of the Philippines, a U.S. ally, and other countries.


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: lawofseatreaty; lost; meese; rumsfeld; unitednations
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Good for Rumsfeld and Meese. Get out of the UN.
1 posted on 06/08/2012 11:18:21 AM PDT by jazusamo
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To: jazusamo

Go RUMMY!!! Dick Cheney should testify against it also!!


2 posted on 06/08/2012 11:22:19 AM PDT by Ann Archy ( ABORTION...the HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: jazusamo

I’ll bet the rent on Rummy.

GO Rummy GO!!


3 posted on 06/08/2012 11:26:07 AM PDT by mkjessup (Eternal Vigilance (aka FReeper Tom Hoefling) has my vote for President in 2012.)
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To: Ann Archy

Absolutely! I’d love to see all of them testify live.


4 posted on 06/08/2012 11:26:34 AM PDT by jazusamo ("Intellect is not wisdom" -- Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo

If you’re a Globalist or kiss the feet of your masters you’re for LOST.

Good to see Rumsfeld knows the correct score here.


5 posted on 06/08/2012 11:27:58 AM PDT by Red Steel
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To: jazusamo
" . . . against the military brass . . . "

I can't imagine what military brass of ours would be in favor of this treaty. More mysterious is how they came to be brass in our navy? I assumed all of our military command positions were filled by tried and true patriots, unwilling to yield anything to the United Nations, especially anthing that would decrease and/or undermine their own bailiwicks.

6 posted on 06/08/2012 11:44:15 AM PDT by Eastbound (3-7-77)
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To: jazusamo
" . . . against the military brass . . . "

I can't imagine what military brass of ours would be in favor of this treaty. More mysterious is how they came to be brass in our navy? I assumed all of our military command positions were filled by tried and true patriots, unwilling to yield anything to the United Nations, especially anthing that would decrease and/or undermine their own bailiwicks.

7 posted on 06/08/2012 11:44:15 AM PDT by Eastbound (3-7-77)
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To: jazusamo

The UN is becoming the new USSR


8 posted on 06/08/2012 12:01:39 PM PDT by molson209
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To: jazusamo

Must not have the votes to get past the filibuster or it would be another cram down. Remember - House doesn’t get a vote on treaties - Senate only in advise and consent role.


9 posted on 06/08/2012 12:04:08 PM PDT by ichabod1 (Cheney/Rumsfeld 2012)
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To: Eastbound
I can't imagine it either.

A while back I was astonished when articles came out saying our military brass were for this. The below is from 5-23-12.

Top Military, Diplomatic Brass Urge Senate To Ratify Law Of The Sea Treaty

10 posted on 06/08/2012 12:04:21 PM PDT by jazusamo ("Intellect is not wisdom" -- Thomas Sowell)
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To: ichabod1

You’re correct. I sure hope we have the filibuster votes.


11 posted on 06/08/2012 12:06:01 PM PDT by jazusamo ("Intellect is not wisdom" -- Thomas Sowell)
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To: jazusamo
Top Military, Diplomatic Brass Urge Senate To Ratify Law Of The Sea Treaty

Top military Brass are selling out and the "Diplomatic Brass" aka the State Department, are always Globalist types who like to play kissy face with the UN and kiss from their diplomatic posts around the world.

12 posted on 06/08/2012 12:10:08 PM PDT by Red Steel
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To: Red Steel
Yep, it's to be expected from the leftists at State and your right about the top military brass selling out.
13 posted on 06/08/2012 12:14:44 PM PDT by jazusamo ("Intellect is not wisdom" -- Thomas Sowell)
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To: Ann Archy

Cheney came out supporting it about 4 years ago.


14 posted on 06/08/2012 12:34:23 PM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: Eastbound
I can't imagine what military brass of ours would be in favor of this treaty. More mysterious is how they came to be brass in our navy? I assumed all of our military command positions were filled by tried and true patriots, unwilling to yield anything to the United Nations, especially anthing that would decrease and/or undermine their own bailiwicks.

Pentagon brass is a cesspit of leftists. The Clintonoid generals Shalikashvili and Shinseki immediately come to mind. I think it was Shalikashvili who wanted to transition the Army away from tracked vehicles and toward tires like the European armies, hence the Striker APC. Shinseki was the liberal moron that implemented back berets for all Army personnel.

Then there's Maj. General Stephen Coughlin, who was buttbuddies with his islamist aide Hesham Islam.

Let's not forget the leftist imbecile Gen. George Casey, who said that while the Fort Hood massacre was a tragedy, "I believe it would be an even greater tragedy if our diversity becomes a casualty here."

Add to the list the kabal of lesbian admirals that ran inteference for the widely despised Adm. Holly Graf.

So you see, the military rank & file are patriots, but the Joint Chiefs and top-level Pentagon brass are not.

15 posted on 06/08/2012 12:40:59 PM PDT by Spirochete (Sic transit gloria mundi)
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To: Spirochete
Then there's Maj. General Stephen Coughlin, who was buttbuddies with his islamist aide Hesham Islam.

Major retraction: it WAS NOT Stephen Couglin. Whew. Some other official turned a blind eye to Hesham Islam, I think Gordon England (Gullible Gordy).

By bad. Apologies to all.

16 posted on 06/08/2012 12:46:53 PM PDT by Spirochete (Sic transit gloria mundi)
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To: jazusamo
Give 'em hell, Rummy!!!

Rummy flew Grumman F9F Panther jet fighers in the 50's. Always liked that about him, it was a kickass aircraft.

17 posted on 06/08/2012 1:11:13 PM PDT by smoothsailing
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To: Eastbound
I assumed all of our military command positions were filled by tried and true patriots

I assumed our highest political offices were 'filled' by actual AMERICANS.

It seems were were both wrong.

18 posted on 06/08/2012 1:19:24 PM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Lame and ill-informed post)
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To: Eastbound

(sorry, my fingers have decided to practice mutiny)

Is seems WE were both wrong.


19 posted on 06/08/2012 1:20:55 PM PDT by UCANSEE2 (Lame and ill-informed post)
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To: Eastbound
I assumed all of our military command positions were filled by tried and true patriots

Absolutely not. There are one-world-order statists everywhere, even in the military.

20 posted on 06/08/2012 1:22:21 PM PDT by Future Snake Eater (CrossFit.com)
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