re: "Libya: Did Citizen Evacuations Stand in the Way of Better Policy?"

Peter Spiro at Opinio Juris ("a forum for informed discussion and lively debate about international law and international relations") is, as always, asking some of the right questions.

(Even if he is a lawyer.)

Money quote(s):

"It now seems to be the conventional wisdom (hard to shake once in place) that the U.S. has been slow off the mark on Libya. That may have consequences for U.S. standing in the region."

Conventional wisdom isn't always wrong. It just seems like it most of the time.

Still, perception influences reality, even if it does not (as some believe) equate to reality.

"The Administration got a defense out (on background) that it held off on more decisive action — such as imposing the sanctions that were finally put in place last night — pending the evacuation from Libya of U.S. citizens, U.S. diplomats in particular. As always, safety of U.S. citizens is said to be the highest priority in such unstable situations. Apparently, the U.S. embassy compound in Tripoli is poorly secured, with no Marine guards in place to defend."

No marines in Tripoli? Sounds like the inspiration for a Country & Western song, perhaps using the "Do They Know It's Christmas" tune from 1985.

But I digress.

"That’s a tough place to be. Obviously you don’t want to end up in a hostage situation (the politics of that would be horrific for Obama in addition to all the other reasons — the Carter comparison perfected). But does it have to be the case that U.S. policy itself is held hostage?

Perhaps the lesson here is to have contingency plans in place to pull U.S. officials out of such situations quickly (as of today, think Sanaa, Libreville, Yaounde, among others). That would have the downside of leaving other U.S. citizens without exit assistance, at least not in place. But many of them are taken care of by their corporate employers. Many others will be dual nationals, and only nominally American, and should be able to fend for themselves as well as locals."

There are contingency plans for lots of things. The Marine Corps has something of a sideline in NEOs (non-combatant evacuation operations), but some of the sketchier places tend to rather out-of-the-way and would need some assistance to get out and that assistance would take time getting there.

Recall that during the Rwandan genocide, our embassy folks had to convoy out of the country on their own, something that good RSOs and consular chiefs keep in the back of their minds as one of the nightmare scenarios to prepare against.

The argument about dual nationals has come up before, and The Onion recently did a piece lampooning the American practise of having to evacuate visitors to places nobody in their right mind should want to visit. I don't have an answer to either question, but it's nice to see people asking in public fora what consular officers sometimes ask each other quietly, where the public can't hear us.

(Don't get me wrong, we'll do everything we can to help, but think of us as firemen who can't help but wonder to one another just why you were playing with matches.)

re: "Re: Will the Pentagon Always Be Able to Evacuate Americans from Hotspots?"

Mark Krikorian at The Corner ("a web-leading source of real-time conservative opinion") takes a stab at answering Michael Rubin's question.

Money quote(s):

"(Y)our point about the thousands of Lebanese with dual U.S. citizenship raises an important point — why should a U.S. Marine, who enlisted to defend his fellow countrymen from harm, risk his life rescuing people who have not fully committed to the American nation? Dual citizenship — a “self-evident absurdity” in TR’s words — means, in this case, people who want to live in Lebanon, as Lebanese, and perhaps even vote there, but who also want to make sure that if things go bad someone else will risk his life to rescue them."

Lebanon blew up pretty quickly, as I recall. Lots of college and h.s. age kids visiting their grandparents back in the old country. And lots of naturalized U.S. citizens who decided their retirement dollars would stretch further back in said old country; not necessarily folks who've done anything wrong or falsely.

Americans take it as their God-given and Constitutional right that they can go anywhere without hindrance, that they can live and work where they please, and then if things go "South," Big Sam will come and get them. And their relatives back in each of those congressmembers' districts have the same assumption. So it would definitely behoove them to have Mr. Rubin's question somewhere in the back of their collective minds.

(Disclaimer: Like many people in my line of work, I participated, however tangentally, in support of the Lebanon evacuation. Collectively, we were able to help a lot of people get out of harm's way. It's a part of my life's body of work of which I'm justifiably somewhat proud.

And at the same time, as new reports about other country's dual nationals and legal residents came out, about how people who were supposedly refugees from Lebanon had moved back and were living off of the public assistance received, as refugees, from those European countries.... well, I'm sure we have our share of welfare and public assistance fraudsters too. But asking, or looking for answers, of such questions is way down on the to-do list when you're scrambling to organize an evacuation.)

JO - Inside the West Portland election

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer


Inside the West Portland election


BY DON ANDERSON

Historical perspective


Sunday, April 19, 2009


The recently completed by-election in West Portland generated a considerable degree of national interest, not because of the dual citizenship issue which brought it about, but moreso because of the critical importance to both parties, with the JLP majority in Parliament being razor thin.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Despite the strong PNP core support, Rowe would still face an uphill task, as this was matched by equally strong core support for the JLP. The difficulty he faced winning the seat was further heightened by the fact that he had just three weeks to overturn the momentum of 18 months of Vaz's activity in the area. His dual citizenship status was not an issue, however much there were attempts to make it seem so on moral grounds."

JG - I will renounce! Hay-Webster to give up US citizenship

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Gleaner

I will renounce! Hay-Webster to give up US citizenship

Published: Sunday August 2, 2009

Hay-Webster


Tyrone Reid, Sunday Gleaner Reporter


South Central St Catherine Member of Parliament (MP) Sharon Hay-Webster has decided to give up the land of her birth - the United States of America (USA).

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Hay-Webster, an Opposition MP, has initiated the process of renouncing her US citizenship in order to remain a member of the House of Representatives.

Fifteen months ago, an unyielding Hay-Webster, with legal team in tow, was ready for a showdown with her political adversaries to prove that despite possessing a US passport, she was eligible to sit in the lower house.

But yesterday Hay-Webster hoisted the proverbial white flag. "I told my constituency executive on Friday night that I intend to renounce and the party chairman is also aware … I told them I have been in discussion with the embassy already," she told The Sunday Gleaner in solemn tones."

"Her move to relinquish her US citizenship is the latest causality in the politically charged dual citizenship maelstrom rocking Gordon House.

Already, the court has booted three MPs - Daryl Vaz, Gregory Mair and Michael Stern - from Parliament because of the constitutional breach that rendered them ineligible to sit in the lower house when they were elected in the 2007 general election."

&

"Under the Jamaican Con-stitution, non-commonwealth nationals, who have pledged allegiance to a foreign power, are disqualified to sit in the House."


tyrone.reid@gleanerjm.com

JO - How the west was won. and lost

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer

How the west was won. and lost

It was bigger than Rowe, says Cliff Hughes

BY KIMONE THOMPSON Observer Senior Reporter Special Coverage Unit specialcoverageunit@jamaicaobserver.com

Sunday, March 29, 2009

ANALYSTS agree that Daryl Vaz edged out Kenneth Rowe for the West Portland seat in last Monday's by-election through a combination of visibility and performance in his constituency and organisation at the party level.

Cliff Hughes

But more important than what Daryl and the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) did, they say, was what Kenneth and the People's National Party (PNP) didn't.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Rowe was rejected in 2002 when he ran on a JLP ticket against the PNP's Errol Ennis. In 2006, he lost the bid to represent the constituency as caretaker to Daryl Vaz. He then defected to the PNP and snatched the candidacy from Abe Dabdoub who lost his court bid to get the seat from Vaz on grounds he had dual citizenship. "

&

""More than anything else, I think they would have said that Rowe was a former JLP man who contested two elections - national elections in 2002 and party election in 2005 - in which he lost to Vaz and therefore is a former supporter of the JLP. I think that would probably have more impact on the outcome of the election than the question of dual citizenship because it didn't really come out in any anecdotal information that we have been able to gather," said Anderson."

JO - .How the West was lost.

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer

.How the West was lost


I knew I couldn't win - Rowe


By HG Helps Editor-at-Large Special Coverage Unit specialcoverageunit@jamaicaobserver.com


Sunday, March 29, 2009


KENNETH Rowe found out late that defeating Daryl Vaz would be more difficult than sprinting up to the Blue Mountain peak.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Rowe, who said he and Vaz did not speak to each other during the campaign, polled 5,633 votes in succumbing to the victor, whose 7,927 votes confirmed him as the popular choice and closed a chapter in Vaz's life that was disrupted by a court ruling that he was ineligible to hold public office because he held citizenship of the United States, as well as a Jamaican passport.

The insignificant 28 polled by independent candidate Astor Black, political analysts said, could be a message to the Rastafarian that he should cease losing his deposit in every election that is up for contest. "

JO - How the West (Portland) was won.

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer

How the West (Portland) was won.


Three Portia Simpson Millers could not take me out - Vaz


By Desmond Allen Executive Editor Special Coverage Unit specialcoverageunit@jamaicaobserver.com


Sunday, March 29, 2009

DARYL Vaz didn't think he was being pompous when he declared on nomination day for the West Portland by-election that he would win by over 2,000 votes. And it didn't bother him that not even close Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) colleagues took him seriously. In the end, he won by 2,294.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Vaz discloses that he worked to convert loyal PNP supporters and did. "They chose performance over loyalty." But he admits to some element of luck, at the expense of Abe Dabdoub, his erstwhile opponent in the general election, and the PNP campaign focus.
"The court action over dual citizenship sensitised the people of West Portland and threw the spotlight on the fact that I was working. They were not going to leave me after that. Got a lot of support and commitment from non-JLP supporters," he says. "

JO - Politicians ought to declare their citizenship status

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer


Politicians ought to declare their citizenship status


Sunday, March 29, 2009


Dear Editor,

Mrs Portia Simpson Miller, in response to Mr Bruce Golding's assertion that the Opposition is trying to wrest power from the government through the courts, said that the PNP "will never take power in this country unless it is by the ballots".

Read the whole letter here.

Snippet(s):

"But this is exactly what they tried to do by seeking to oust Mr Daryl Vaz on the grounds that he had dual citizenship. Ironically, they then offered a candidate who also has dual citizenship, albeit Jamaican-Canadian and a Commonwealth member."

"They will argue that they were within their constitutional right to offer this candidate for MP even though he has dual citizenship, and contrary to the principle on which this whole event unfolded."

"(E)ither dual citizens are accepted in Parliament (Commonwealth or not) or they are not accepted."

"As the purpose of the Commonwealth and its member nations continue to evolve and their personal agendas diverge, there can be no gainsaying the fact that allegiance issues will arise should a person hold dual citizenship involving two member states. This is clearly no different from a Jamaican-American dual citizenship."

"The Government and Opposition must now move with alacrity and purpose and deal with the dual-citizenship issue."

&

"(A)ll parliamentarians should declare their citizenship status. Anyone who has dual citizenship should either renounce it or secede their current position. The ultimate show of loyalty to one's country is to be shackled by the same laws that govern the people one represents."

_____

Jermaine Boreland

jirmz@yahoo.co.uk

JO - Passover and dual citizenship

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer

Passover and dual citizenship


MICHAEL BURKE


Thursday, April 09, 2009


Today is Holy Thursday on the Christian calendar. The Jewish religion celebrates the Passover on the actual date (the 14th Nissan on the Jewish calendar), while the Roman Catholic Church celebrates the mass of the Lord's Supper today. At the feast of the Passover on the day before he was crucified, Jesus Christ, according to Roman Catholic doctrine, turned bread and wine into His precious Body and Blood.

MICHAEL BURKE

The Passover meal is really a living dramatisation of the Jewish liberation and their real Independence Day. It is the anniversary of the smiting of the Egyptians when the angel of the Lord passed over the Jewish homes. The homes and families of the Jews were spared because the Jews had smeared the blood of a sacrificial lamb on their doorposts.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Citizens are really the members of an independent nation. Citizenship and independence is about being ruled by one's own people, which makes citizenship very important. This is why at the time of Jamaica's political independence in 1962, the definition of citizenship in the constitution and clear guidelines about citizenship qualifications to sit in the nation's Parliament were of such great importance.

Jamaicans have been travelling to and from the United States of America for centuries, but Jamaicans did not initially see the USA as part of the wider family until recent decades. At the time of political independence in 1962, Jamaicans felt closer to the British and the Commonwealth of Nations. Since that time, it is true that increased travel to the USA and information technology have brought Jamaicans emotionally closer to the USA."

"No race or nation wants to achieve political independence only to be subjected to a foreign power at a later date. That is why citizenship is so important when it comes to eligibility for election to Parliament. Indeed, it is very important for a clear definition of membership organisations and clubs, let alone in countries. It is all about who belongs and who does not."

&

"In any case, we need to be very careful about how we review the whole matter of dual citizenship in light of recent court rulings, which has so far caused the recent by-election in Western Portland. My fear is that it might be changed to the point where aliens might one day rule us. And if that happens, all the struggle for independence by our national heroes would be totally in vain."

JO - No more by-elections

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer

No more by-elections

Friday, March 27, 2009

Dear Editor,

Congratulations to the JLP's Daryl Vaz for winning the West Portland seat once again. Well tried, Kenneth Rowe!

Read the whole letter here.

Snippet(s):

"I don't think it is right for other by-elections to be held where MPs hold dual citizenship because it is costing the country a lot of money and times are already hard.

I am therefore appealing to both sides of the House of Representatives to put away all those other cases of dual citizenship and deal with the issues at hand."

_____

Robert Lewars
St Catherine
lewars72@yahoo.com

JO - Is it over or just starting?

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer

Is it over or just starting?

MICHAEL BURKE

Thursday, March 26, 2009

So Daryl Vaz has returned to Parliament by a larger margin and by almost 1,000 more votes. But is it over or is it just beginning? Will the prime minister call an election to take advantage of the glory of the victory or will he not take the chance? If Golding does not announce an election by weekend he might not call it for this year. I believe if he were calling it, he would do so before the budget debate.

MICHAEL BURKE

Why would he wait until the hype is deflated? In 1983 Edward Seaga called a snap election for December 15 that year and by December 31 there was a hike in the price of gasoline. Everyone is expecting a tight budget this year. Politicians tend to call elections before such occurrences, not after. And this is actually part of what is called "political science" by those who love to put nice titles on actions that might be called less likeable words.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"(T)here are other dual citizenship cases among members of parliament. Would Golding wait until each one has been heard and then call by-elections in which his party may not be as fortunate as it was last Monday? Does Golding hope that those cases will take so long to get to court that by the time it is done, it would be time for the general election anyway? And by the way, all election petitions come to an end with the dissolution of Parliament which precedes a general election."
_____

ekrubm765@yahoo.com

JO - No 'dual citizens' for Parliament

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer

No 'dual citizens' for Parliament


Thursday, March 26, 2009


Dear Editor,

Could the devastating outcome of the West Portland by-election be because a significant number of electors felt "dissed" by an arrogant PNP?

Read the whole letter here.

Snippet(s):

"The reason for the by-election was a matter of dual citizenship, but what did the PNP then do? Put up a 'dual citizen' as their candidate!"

&

"(P)eople with divided loyalties, be it Green Card or dual citizenship, while being welcome to serve in many other capacities, will certainly not be allowed to be in the position to pass legislation that will affect the lives of us locals, while they have the opportunity to walk away from it all when anything goes awry."
_____

Joan Williams
greatestj@hotmail.com

re: "General Reminder to Dual Citz"

SassAndSweet ("Observations about working as a Diplomat. Thoughts on living in Israel. Comments on life, the universe and everything.") provides this public service announcement.

Money quote(s):

"You do have to enter AND exit the US on your US Passport. This is not Monopoly, you can not bypass go and still collect your $200.00.

If you exit on your non-US ppt (after entering on the US ppt) - chances lean heavily to some extra time in Secondary next time around."

JG - ABSURDITIES - Balancing political and economic rights

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Gleaner

ABSURDITIES - Balancing political and economic rights

published: Sunday June 29, 2008

Robert Buddan, Contributor

Bruce Golding says it is a constitutional absurdity that a Commonwealth citizen can vote and be elected to the Jamaican Parliament after spending only a year in Jamaica, while a Jamaican citizen who lives overseas and is a citizen of another country cannot be elected here.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"A foreigner, Commonwealth and non-Commonwealth can, and is encouraged to invest, that is, buy and own any amount of prime agricultural land and mineral resources, beachfront property and assets of all kinds which most Jamaicans cannot afford to own, but at the same time those same Jamaicans can constitutionally vote and be elected to the country's Parliament and become prime minister.

In other words, one has to be a Jamaican citizen to be prime minister but anyone can own Jamaica."

"Is it really the right to sit in Parliament that it should be talking about, or the right as citizens to come first in economic opportunities?

It was not absurd when the parliamentary committee with representatives from the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People's National Party (PNP) considering the Jamaican independence constitution agreed to allow Jamaicans the right to enjoy dual citizenship and all the economic, social, civil and political rights of Jamaicans even if they were born or lived abroad and chose to have dual citizenship, a magnanimous gesture, except only for the proviso that they would not be allowed to serve in sensitive offices of the state."

&

"We still have not resolved the absurdity of having a Queen of England as our monarch, who has refused to apologise for enslaving us and who requires us to have a visa to come and visit her country."

_____
Robert Buddan lectures in the Department of Government, UWI, Mona. Email: robert.buddan@uwimona.edu.jm.

JG - Appeal Court tells all

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Gleaner

Appeal Court tells all

Published: Sunday March 15, 2009

The Court of Appeal has said in its very detailed reasons for upholding Chief Justice Zaila McCalla's ruling that there should be a by-election in the West Portland constituency, that the "electorate are not to have imposed upon them a person for whom the majority of them did not cast their votes".

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"People's National Party candidate, Abe Dabdoub, had filed an election petition after the September 3, 2007, general election, contending that Member of Parliament (MP) Daryl Vaz had dual citizenship and was not entitled to be an MP.

Chief Justice Zaila McCalla heard the election petition and ruled that because Vaz, who had inherited American citizenship from his mother, obtained a United States passport as an adult and travelled on it, he had pledged allegiance to a foreign power.

The chief justice ruled that Vaz was not eligible to sit in Parliament and ordered a by-election."

JO - West Portland Labourites celebrate Court ruling

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Observer

West Portland Labourites celebrate Court ruling

ERICA VIRTUE, Observer writer virtuee@jamaicaobserver.com

Saturday, February 28, 2009

BUFF BAY, Portland - Not even the heavy and intermittent showers from overnight and into the morning could prevent Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) supporters from coming out into the streets and celebrating yesterday's ruling by the Appeal Court in the Daryl Vaz vs Abe Dabdoub dual citizenship case.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"BUFF BAY, Portland - Jamaica Labour Party supporters in Buff Bay celebrate yesterday's Court of Appeal decision that a by-election be held to fill the West Portland seat, following the disqualification of Daryl Vaz, who was declared unfit to sit in the House of Representatives because of his dual citizenship."

JG - West Portland: Holding the balance in Jamaica's democracy

Jamaica Gleaner



West Portland: Holding the balance in Jamaica's democracy


Published: Sunday March 15, 2009


Robert Buddan - POLITICS OF OUR TIME


The 2007 general elections were not quite settled. They were only a partial settlement convenient in order to have government and offset a possible constitutional crisis. The unsettled issues went to court.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"The court was asked whether Daryl Vaz, who held dual citizenship, was qualified under the constitution to have a seat in parliament, and whether a by-election should be held or the seat awarded to Abe Dabdoub. The court decided that he should not have a seat and a by-election should be held."

"(T)here is a feeling in the PNP that the JLP had known before the elections that some of its candidates had held dual citizenship and had them nominated, believing them to be the persons with the best chance to win."

&

"Dabdoub won't be in a position to get the seat he felt he deserved. But he has been vindicated by the court's ruling that Vaz was not qualified to be nominated and sit as a member of parliament. He has done Jamaica's constitution and the democracy it upholds a great service. In fact, this election might be seen as a battle for the integrity of the constitution."

__________

Robert Buddan lectures in the Department of Government, UWI, Mona Campus. Email: Robert.Buddan@uwimona.edu.jm or columns@gleanerjm.com

JG - Dual citizenship, budget and values

Jamaica Gleaner

Dual citizenship, budget and values


Published: Sunday March 15, 2009


Ian Boyne


We could be in for a political crisis (or a series of by-elections) if the Speaker of the House decides to take a roll call on those members who have dual citizenship or American green cards. Street perception is that when it comes to wanting the 'good life' that Uncle Sam affords, there is no political division among our political leaders.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Some people feel strongly about this matter of our parliamentarians having dual citizenship or divided loyalties as they see it.

Speaker of the House Delroy Chuck has gone further and has asserted that the Court's ruling makes it untenable for parliamentarians who have green cards to sit in the House.

Many persons believe that aside from the legal technicalities and constitutional issues, it is inherently immoral or unconscionable for someone to be making laws for Jamaicans and yet be able to escape the consequences of his actions by being able to fly off to North America or wherever while the rest of us suffer here.

Some say they need no ruling by any chief justice, Court of Appeal or any constitutional amendment to know that.

They feel passionately that people who make laws and who wield political power must know that they have to stay here and face whatever results from their actions. At heart, they feel this is an issue of moral authority and legitimacy."

"There are some people who would regard their United States (US) citizenship or their green card as their most valuable possession.

For despite the money they might have in Jamaica, because of their fears about what could happen here, they take comfort in the fact that they can fly out at any time and that they have the great US to defend their interests."

&

"There are some persons who actually thought that Daryl Vaz was actually foolish to give up his US citizenship to sit in Parliament, for he cannot guarantee how long he will be in government and he might not be able to get back his citizenship after he vacates office."

JO - Political speculations

Jamaica Observer

Political speculations


MICHAEL BURKE


Thursday, March 05, 2009


MICHAEL BURKE


So the Court of Appeal, which has final authority in election petitions, has ruled that there is to be a by-election in Western Portland. The PNP, led by Portia Simpson Miller, has called on the government "to do the right thing" and call by-elections in all of the constituencies where there are allegations of dual citizenship among sitting members of parliament. In terms of principle, Mrs Simpson Miller is absolutely correct. However, in terms of political manoeuvring it might be a mistake.

Read the whole article here.

JG - Stanford affair and Caricom

Jamaica Gleaner

Stanford affair and Caricom


Published: Sunday March 1, 2009


Two recent events have reinforced our belief in the need for an urgent summit of Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders to address the global credit crisis and its consequential effects on Caribbean economies. The events provide the community an opportunity to signal, from the highest level, a wish to synchronise the regulatory framework.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"The more recent, and clearly more notorious of these developments, was the decision by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission to bring civil charges against billionaire financier, Sir Allen Stanford, and two of his companies, for allegedly operating a US$8-billion fraud on investors in certificates of deposits sold by his Stanford International Bank.

That bank is based in Antigua where Sir Allen, a Texan, has citizenship and substantial business interests, and is the second-largest employer in the country after the government."