China announced today it has requested consultations with the United States over the imposition of U.S. duties on certain Chinese paper products. This is WTO-speak for: "We're filing a lawsuit". This marks the first time China has ever used the WTO dispute settlement procedures on its own (it joined in Europe's suit against the U.S. steel tariffs). ...
Judging from the comments Professor John McGinnis's posts received, many of you had strong (if not always positive) reactions to his ideas. This is a sign, of course, that John is a natural blogger. We want to thank him for his participation and hope to welcome him back to visit in the future. Thanks, John! ...
Don't be surprised if you see a headline along these lines in the not-so-distant future. The NY Times today has an interesting lead story on how corporations are now pushing for federal regulation in various areas instead of fighting it, on issues ranging from fuel efficiency to predatory lending practices to cigarette lighter safety. The story highlights three elements...
Four detainees have committed suicide at Guantanamo Bay. Unfortunately, that number will likely soon increase to five:Sami al-Haj, a Sudanese national, is 250 days into a hunger strike which he began in protest over his detention without charge or trial in January 2002. But British and American doctors, who have been given exclusive access to his interview notes, say...
This Sunday, September 16, the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer will celebrate the twentieth anniversary of its conclusion. The Protocol has aged well, frequently celebrated as the most successful international environmental treaty. It has effectively phased out or controlled the production and consumption of most ozone depleting substances that threaten the ozone layer. ...
Thanks to Opinio Juris for inviting me to blog. I have learned a lot about blogging. It is fun, but the brevity of posts makes misunderstanding easy. My main theme has been the tension between two kinds of global order on offer—one generated by international law and the other by American action, which in turn is regulated by American law....
Great post by Scott Horton on the meaning of "Novus Ordo Seclorum" (Latin for "A New Order of the Ages"). It’s there on every dollar bill. Turn it over and read the legend under the pyramid–”novus ordo seclorum”–”a New Order of the Ages.” Hollywood makes it the center of a treasure hunt. Religious nuts who populate the world of cable TV...
One international right about which I am extremely enthusiastic is the right of migration. As Ilya Somin and I have written about in the paper I have previously referenced, one concern about international law, if it were actually enforced, is that it would make it harder for individuals to vote with their feet against bad laws, because international law creates...
Deputy U.S. Trade Representative John Veroneau delivered a nice, succinct speech this week to business leaders addressing the globalization backlash. Here's a quick summary: As a result of unprecedented gains in productivity in recent generations, millions of people today enjoy lives unrecognizable a century ago, in terms of the quality and quantity of food, health care, housing and other goods...
One issue for international law is the degree of American exceptionalism. Is the United States an exceptional nation in way that suggests international law should not apply to it in the same way as to other nations? Or perhaps its exceptionalism suggests that it should remain strictly dualist and not apply international law without the endorsement of the political...
My purpose here is to provide a brief taxonomy of recent international law skepticism. 1. The Rational Actor Critique: In their book, The Limits of International Law, Jack Goldsmith and Eric Posner express skepticism that customary international law often influences the conduct of states. States are rational, self-interested actors and it is difficult for custom to reflect stable equilibria that reflect...
We want to thank Kristen Boon for a great two weeks of blogging with us. We look forward to her joining us for another guest stint in the near future. ...
