International Politics of the United States

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Some of the Politics of the United States are related to the United States international politics.

[edit] International agreements that the United States has not ratified or has withdrawn from

The United States is often criticized by nationals of participant countries for not taking part in the following agreements:

• The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide came into effect in 1951. Of the nations that have ratified this treaty, ten have done so with the proviso of immunity from compulsory prosecution for genocide. These countries include the U.S. and India.

• The Convention on the Elimination of All Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (which was adopted in 1979 and came into force in 1981) is often described as an international bill of rights for women. It defines what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination. The United States is the only developed nation that has not ratified it.

• The Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989) is an international convention setting out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of children. Only Somalia and the U.S. have not ratified it.

• The Ottawa Treaty (binding as of 1999) bans completely all anti-personnel landmines. Forty nations have not ratified this treaty, including China, Cuba, Finland, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Russia, and the United States.

• The U.S. ratified and later withdrew from Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in 2002. This was a treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the limitation of the anti-ballistic missile (ABM) systems used in defending areas against missile-delivered nuclear weapons.

• The International Criminal Court (2002) was established as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, as defined by several international agreements. Notable refusals of compulsory ICC jurisdiction include the U.S., Israel, and China.

• The Kyoto Protocol (entered into force in 2005) is an international treaty on climate change. Countries which ratify this protocol commit to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and five other greenhouse gases, or engage in emissions trading if they maintain or increase emissions of these gases. The U.S. signed the treaty but has not ratified it; Australia has refused to sign it; India and many other less industrialized nations have ratified the treaty but are exempt from it.