Moises Naim Quotes
Mafia states integrate the speed and flexibility of transnational criminal networks with the legal protections and diplomatic privileges enjoyed only by states.
Moises Naim, Editor of Foreign Policy, “Mafia States”, Foreign Policy, May / June 2012
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The Constitution was not drafted until 1787 and was ratified later. In the interim the young United States functioned under the Articles of Confederation, in a sense, our first Constitution. This clause established that the Federal Government should have the exclusive power and authority to conduct foreign affairs.
This was the first organization in Great Britain devoted to foreign affairs. In 1867 Linton emigrated to America where he devoted most of his time to the arts.
Those environmentalists who take this view do not give credence to other alternatives. For example, the same argument of environmental decision-making could logically justify one superpower nation taking over the government of all others on the planet for environmental matters. Another possibility is that the existing mechanisms and the UN are sufficient if the major powers reach agreement. Another is that science and technology will provide solutions.
Laws that do not work can be repealed by Congress with the President’s signature. However, if there is an international treaty, the United States may NOT change the laws to fix something that does not work. At best, the administration can try to re-negotiate the treaty, but has no power to assure the change unless, it withdraws from the treaty. However, most treaties are very complex and involve many elements and there is no way to withdraw from a single aspect of a treaty, even if it is a bad aspect.
The US Congress passed the Magnitsky Act which allowed parties to sue in American Courts, Russian companies and individual wrongs committed against Russian Citizens in Russia. (The Russian prison system controlled by some corrupt powers in Russia had killed Magnitsky for exposing some massive corruption of some Russian officials. Although morally justified, legally the act was an interference in another nation’s internal affairs.) The Russians then banned the adoptions which actually hurt them far more than the U. S., but it was a retaliation which to maintain their dignity and sovereignty the Russians felt was necessary. It is an excellent example of the lack of predictability and reaction to various foreign policy moves. Retaliation could take any form, related or not, proportional or not, rational or not.
There have been times in democracies where a foreign ministry (State Department) is isolated from the elected politicians and implements a foreign policy that is at odds with the wishes of the elected officials and the majority of the nation. A good American example of this was in 1948 where America had to decide whether to support the creation of the State of Israel in the United Nations and through diplomatic recognition. The professional diplomats in the State Department had developed very close relations with Arab States, and many State Department employees were anti-Semitic. In addition, they thought the most important thing for America was not to risk the Arab oil supply. Meanwhile, the people, Congress, and President Truman were on the other side and Truman had to finally order The Secretary of State to stop his professional diplomats from pursuing their own foreign policy preferences. Even then some did not.
Moisés Naím is a Venezuelan journalist and writer. He is a Distinguished Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. In 2013, the British magazine Prospect listed Naím as one of the world's leading thinkers. In 2014 and 2015, Dr. Naím was ranked among the top 100 influential global thought leaders by Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute (GDI) for his book The End of Power. "The End of Power" was also selected as the first book for followers of Mark Zuckerberg's 2015 book club to read.
