Pat Buchanan: Strutting Against U.N. Law Of Sea Treaty

Pat Buchanan's op-ed piece today scolds Bush and key members of the Senate for supporting the ratification of the U.N.'s Law Of The Sea . The treaty would bring comprehensive protection to 70% of the worlds surface that is covered by water. The evidence of declining fish stocks, marine pollution and destructive seabed mining procedures is acknowledged by the treaty and steps to mitigate it are codified.

That's on one side. On the other side, Buchanan invokes the conservative legacies of Teddy Roosevelt, Bob Taft, Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. Buchanan says that they bristled at treaties that compromised U.S. sovereignty and the implied strutting rights over the worlds resources , no matter who owns them. But Buchanan fails to put those past war horses philosophies in the context of todays realities. The fact is that 25-80 years ago the environmental degregation of the seas were not as apparant as today.

Wake up Buchanan and smell the fresh sea air. It may clear out old, out- of- date, stale attitudes.