News

Should The New York Times Be Boycotted?

by Dan Huck on Tue Dec 29, 2009 11:33 PM PST

Perhaps the Iranian government is continuing to honor it's treaty obligations under the IAEA even though there is a possibility a signatory to that treaty, the US, or our rogue nuclear sub-entity, Israel, may decide to attack Iran's claimed lawful nuclear sites on unproven suspicions, totally against international law; Iran may be honoring those obligations because they might believe, along with Thomas Jefferson  (Opinion on French Treaties, 1793): "It is not the possibility of danger which absolves a party from his contract, for that possibility always exists, and in every case... If possibilities would void contracts, there never could be a valid contract, for possibilities hang over everything. Obligation is not suspended till the danger is become real and the moment of it so imminent that we can no longer avoid decision without forever losing the opportunity to do it." They may feel the US, having burnt it's fingers and it's reputation acting on the  possibility of danger absolving us from from our contract in Iraq would have reminded us of an important lesson not to be forgotten soon again.

they might think Nations have Rights, again to quote Jefferson:
"We certainly cannot deny to other nations that principle whereon our government is founded, that every nation has a right to govern itself internally under what forms it pleases, and to change these forms at its own will; and externally to transact business with other nations through whatever organ it chooses, whether that be a King, Convention, Assembly, Committee, President, or whatever it be. The only thing essential is, the will of the nation." --Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Pinckney, 1792.
"I freely admit the right of a nation to change its political principles and constitution at will, and the impropriety of any but its own citizens censuring that change." --Thomas Jefferson to the Earl of Buchan, 1803.
"We will never be angry with others for exercising their own rights according to what they think their own interests." --Thomas Jefferson: Address to Indian Nations, 1808.
Or, they may believe the international community respects National Sovereignty as they deal with what, apparently with some evidence, they believe are breeches of the peace instigated by foreign agents. Americans, traditionally, have agreed with Jefferson:
"It is an essential attribute of the jurisdiction of every country to preserve peace, to punish acts in breach of it" --Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 1793.
"The right of self-government does not comprehend the government of others." --Thomas Jefferson: Opinion on Residence Bill, 1790.
"No court can have jurisdiction over a sovereign nation." --Thomas Jefferson to William Short, 1791.
"Every nation has of natural right, entirely and exclusively, all the jurisdiction which may be rightfully exercised in the territory it occupies. If it cedes any portion of that jurisdiction to judges appointed by another nation, the limits of their power must depend on the instrument of cession." --Thomas Jefferson to Gouverneur Morris, 1793