LTC Newton

                                                                                                                        January 2005

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LAW 481 International Law[1]

Syllabus – Spring  Semester AY 04-05

 

Texts:  International Law, 2d Ed., by Valerie Epps & America and The World: Debating the Shape of International Politics

Supplement:  Documentary Supplement to International Law, 2d Ed.

 

Course Web Site: http://www.dean.usma.edu/law/lw481.htm

 

Lesson & Dates

Subject

Reading Assignment

I. INTRODUCTION

Lesson 1

  Dean’s Hour on 11 Jan – Room TH 342

Introduction to International Law

Robert Kagan, Power and Weakness,

Foreign Affairs volume pp. 211-244, also online at http://www.policyreview.org/JUN02/kagan.html

 

Lesson 2

  Dean’s Hour on 13 Jan – Room TH 342

The Foreign Affairs Power: Presidential and Congressional Authority

Read United States Constitution, Arts I-III, highlight each reference to an aspect of the federal power related to the conduct of international relations

 

Skim Articles of Confederation, Read Article 6

 

II. FOREIGN RELATIONS LAW OF THE UNITED STATES

Lesson 3                 Dean’s Hour on 18 Jan – Room TH 342

Development and Overview of International Law

Anthony D’Amato, Is International    Law Really Law ?

2 short Federalist Society

   Debate Papers

 

Lesson 4

  19 & 20 Jan 

The Foreign Affairs Process: Case Study of the ABM Treaty

Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty (Supp. Pg. 564); Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel Opinion

III. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL LAW

Sources of International Law

Lesson 5

  21 & 24 Jan 

Treaties and International Agreements: Formation and General Principles

Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (Supp. Pg. 115)

Epps, pp. 53-63

Print and Read Glossary of Treaty Terminology, App 6 of Senate Print 106-71 (beginning on page 411)

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=106_cong_senate_print&docid=f:66922.pdf (posted in Blackboard)

Lesson 6

  25 & 26 Jan

Treaties and International Agreements: Formation and General Principles Cont’d

Reread Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (Supp. Pg. 115)

ASIL Insight, May 1997, International Agreements and U.S. Law

Lesson 7

  27 & 28 Jan 

Quiz # 1 č Treaties and International Agreements: Reservations and Termination

White House Letter of Transmittal of the Vienna Convention of the Law of Treaties to the U.S. Senate

 

Lesson 8

   31 Jan & 1 Feb

 

Case Study: Status of Forces Agreements

Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (Supp. Pg. 139)

Skim American Servicemember’s Protection Act

Skim U.N. Convention on Privileges and Immunities – READ Article VI

Lesson 9

  2 & 3 Feb

Where Does International Law Come From ?

 

Epps, pp. 5-23

Skim S.S. Lotus Opinion, found at

http://worldcourts.com/pcij/eng/cases/lotuslaw.htm  (explained at Epps page 125-6)

Contrast the Lotus Decision with Art. 97 Law of the Sea Treaty, Supp. page 185

Lesson 10

  4 & 7 Feb

Case Study on Treaty Interpretation: Refugees and Asylum

Refugee Convention (Supp. Pg. 343); Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees (Supp. Pg. 357); Supreme Court Opinion in Sale v  Haitian Centers Council, Inc., et. al.; Human Rights Watch Report on the Refugee Convention; short comment on terrorism and the Refugee Convention

Traditional Subjects of International Law

Lesson 11

  8 & 9 Feb

Aspects of Statehood

Epps, pp. 103-108 & 257-279

Lesson 12

  10 & 11 Feb

Quiz #2  -- Practical Exercise: The Meaning of Statehood

USEUCOM Memorandum, SUBJECT:  The EU and U.S. Sovereign Rights under the NATO SOFA 

Lesson 13

  14 & 15 Feb

The United Nations System

United Nations Charter (Supp. Pg. 1)

Focus on understanding  Articles 1, 2, 7, 9, 10,11, 12, 17, 18, 23 thru 51, 55, 92, 100, 1-2-105  skim the I.C.J. statute found at the end of the Charter, but focus on art 34

Skim Epps, pp. 279-292

 

Lesson 14

  16 & 17 Feb

Case Study: The Bosnia Conflict

General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina (Skim the document but Read the GFAP itself and Annex 1A and its appendices carefully) http://www.nato.int/sfor/basic/gfap.htm

Jurisdiction, Immunity, and State Responsibility

Lesson 15

  22 & 23 Feb

Principles of International Jurisdiction

Epps, pp. 113-131

Skim Leila Sadat, Redefining Universal Jurisdiction, Volume 35 New England Law Review

 

Lesson 16

   24 & 25 Feb

Principles of International Jurisdiction (Cont’d)

Torture Convention, Arts. 1-10 (Supp. page 361, Fourth Geneva Convention, Arts 146 and 147 (Supp.  page 507),  Genocide Convention, Art 6 (page 295), Rome Statute, Arts 12 & 13 (pages 48-49).

Read the blurb on the following website:

http://www.crimesofwar.org/thebook/jurisdiction-universal.html

Lesson 17

28 Feb & 1 Mar

PE on Modern Jurisdictional Principles

Review Class Handout from

Lesson # 7 & READ  Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, arts, 12, 13, 17, & 18

Lesson 18

  2 & 3 Mar

Immunities from Domestic Jurisdiction: Sovereign Immunity and Diplomatic Immunity

CASE CONCERNING THE ARREST WARRANT OF 11 APRIL 2000 (DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO v. BELGIUM) (known as the Yerodia case (on CD))

(read the case and skim Judge Higgins’ separate opinion found at  http://www.icj-cij.org/icjwww/idocket/iCOBE/iCOBEframe.htm )   

Lesson 19

  4 & 7 Mar

Treaty Negotiation Practical Exercise: Article 98 agreements in U.S. Foreign Policy

Joint Legal Opinion on Bilateral Article 98 Agreements (at http://www.lchr.org/international_justice/Art98_061403.pdf )

Skim "The E. U. Guiding Principles concerning Arrangements between a State Party  to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and the United States Regarding the Conditions to Surrender of Persons to the Court",  adopted by the Council of the European Union on September 30, 2002, (Page 9 of the EU conclusions at http://www.asil.org/ilib/ilib0516.htm#l1

Lesson 20

  8 & 9 Mar

WPR

During Regularly Scheduled Class Time

IV. THE INTERNATIONAL RULE OF LAW

The Law of Human Rights

Lesson 21

  10 & 21 Mar

Introduction to Human Rights Law: Principles and Key Documents

Epps, pp. 295-313.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Supp.  page 266); International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights Supp.  page 287);

Lesson 22

  22 & 23 Mar

Human Rights: Regional Commissions and the Law of Armed Conflict

 

ECHR Bankovic v Belgium and Others Jurisdictional

Decision (found at http://hudoc.echr.coe.int/Hudoc2doc2/HEMAY/200112/52207_die.doc (and on CD)

Skim Epps, pp. 313-338

 

Lesson 23

  24 & 25 Mar

Enforcement of Human Rights Norms

Kadic v. Karadzic, 2nd Circuit opinion and denial of rehearing

http://laws.lp.findlaw.com/getcase/2nd/case/949035&exact=1 (case reprinted in Epps, pp. 347-355)

 

http://laws.lp.findlaw.com/getcase/2nd/case/949035v2&exact=1 (denial of rehearing  case)

Lesson 24

  28 & 29 Mar

The Human Rights Dimension of Military Operations

Journal of Military Ethics Article

  On Captain Lawrence Rockwood

U.S. v. Rockwood, 52 M.J. 98 (1999)

Lesson 25

  30 & 31 Mar

Graded Homework # 3 Due --

Substantive Interface Between Human Rights Norms and the Law of Armed Conflict

 

 Read Class Handouts

Lesson 26

 1 & 4 April

DROP

No Reading Assignment (duh)

Lesson 27

  Dean’s Hour on 6 Apr – Room TH 342

Case Study: U.S. Special Forces at Sheberghan Prison

Read Class Handouts

Lesson 28

  7 & 8 April

Current Issues: Human Rights in Iraq 

 

 

 

 

No Reading Assignment – Video in Class

Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes

Lesson 29

  11& 12 April

The Law of Conflict Management

Epps, pp. 383 – 416

Joint Resolution 114 (Iraq)

 Read Class Handouts

Lesson 30

  13 & 14 April

The Use of Force in the War on Terror

Jack Beard, America’s New War on Terror: The Case for Self-Defense Under International Law

Lesson 31

  15 & 18 Apr

Case Studies: International Crimes or International Order ?

Read ICJ Conclusions from the Advisory Opinion on the Israeli West Bank Barrier (http://stopthewall.org/internationallaw/639.shtml)

Robert Turner Essay: The War on Terrorism and the Modern Relevance of the Congressional Power  to "Declare War"

Lesson 32

  19 & 20 Apr

The Crime of Aggression

Historical Review of Developments Relating to Aggression, UN Doc. PCNICC/2002/WGCA/L.1 (skim the document, Read ¶¶ 54-62 and 166-195 with special attention to 405-450

Lesson 33

  21 & 22 Apr

Debate over the law of Humanitarian Intervention

Research Materials on Blackboard and on reserve room of USMA library.

The Law of the Sea

Lesson 34

  25 & 26 Apr

Sources of Current Oceans Law

Epps 177-198

Lesson 35

  27 & 28 Apr

Graded Homework # 4 Due --

Navigation and the High Seas Regime

 

 

Epps 199-220

 

V. TRENDS IN MODERN INTERNATIONAL LAW

 

International Criminal Justice

Lesson 36

  29 Apr & 2 May

International Tribunals – Theory and Practice

Op-Ed; David Rivkin and Lee Casey,

Crimes Outside the World's Jurisdiction, New York Times, July 22, 2003

Skim Princeton Principles on Universal Jurisdiction (on Blackboard)

Read Class Handouts

Lesson 37

  3 & 4 May

Debate: The International Criminal Court

 

Read Class Handouts

 

 

Emerging Issues in International Law

Lesson 38

 5 & 6 May

Case Study: The European Union

John Tagliabue, European Union Can’t Reach Deal on Constitution, New York Times, 14 Dec. 03

Anonymous Opinion Paper in Support of the Draft Constitution

Lesson 39

  9 & 10 May

The Law of International Terrorism

 

Troll around the UN Security Council Counterterrorism Committee Web site at http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/committees/1373/

Read Security Council Resolution 1373 Read Class Handouts available at http://www.un.org/Docs/sc/committees/1373/

Lesson 40

  12 & 13 May

State Responsibility and International Claims

 

ASIL Insight on LaGrand Case

Am. J. Int’l Law Agora: Breard

Excerpts of ICJ Torres Case in class handouts

Skim Epps, pp. 64-80

 

 



[1] This syllabus is subject to change during the term and some reading content & assignments WILL change..