Time to Ratify UNCLOS: A New Twist on an Old Problem

Abstract

Since the third United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) produced its seminal document in 1982, debate has ensued over whether ratification is in the best interest of the United States. Curiously, despite a preponderance of evidence to support ratification, and the backing of many high-ranking officials, some twenty-nine years later the United States remains a non-party to the convention. With an increased emphasis on multinational partnerships, this paper seeks to understand why the United States cedes international legitimacy by remaining outside UNCLOS, and proposes two areas where PACOM could leverage increased legitimacy to more effectively conduct shaping operations in the South China Sea.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 04, 2011
Accession Number
ADA546081

Entities

People

  • Jonathan J. Vanecko

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Foreign Relations
  • International Law
  • Law
  • Maritime Security
  • Military Operations
  • National Security
  • Naval Operations
  • Naval Warfare
  • Oceans
  • South China Sea
  • United Nations
  • United States
  • United States Pacific Command
  • United States Strategic Command
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Allergy and Immunology.
  • East Asian Political and Security Studies within the Soviet Union
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.