Castellaw: Take party politics out of Law of the Sea ratification
In an op-ed in Stars and Stripes, ASP Board member LtGen John Castellaw USMC (Ret.), wrote about the importance of the Law of the Sea Treaty for our national security.
In the op-ed he noted:
I watched intently as our nation’s top military officers — “24 stars” represented — appeared before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to urge ratification of the Law of the Sea Convention. These are the senior military leaders, most of whom I know and a couple with whom I have served, charged with leading operations in some of the most volatile corners of the world. They are not only commanding maritime forces, but are also becoming increasingly engaged at the negotiating table — and they were unequivocal in testifying that the Law of the Sea is a critical supplementary tool to avoid conflict and avert the gunboat diplomacy that puts young Americans in harm’s way.
General Castellaw went on to say:
There is a reason these military professionals support the Law of the Sea, and it is not attributable to partisanship or ideology. Think of the young lieutenants commanding patrol boats, Marines standing by to rescue hostages, or the Coast Guardsmen making law enforcement boardings to keep drugs off our streets and terrorists away from our shores. The military advocates this treaty on their behalf — because these brave men and women deserve the clarity and continuity that the Law of the Sea provides.
He concluded by saying:
Our military leaders have enough on their plate these days without having their integrity impugned. Contrived and baseless attacks distract from the core issue at hand: Is America going to lead or be left behind in securing its interests on the high seas? Will the lives of young Americans in uniform be put ahead of politics?
For all these reasons and more, it is critically important that policymakers in Washington begin doing what they once professed so deeply to believe: Where the Law of the Sea Treaty is concerned, it is time to listen to the commanders.
You can read the full op-ed here.
