International Law and Infectious Diseases
The U.S. Government Fails to Acknowledge That International Law and Infectious Diseases Are Inextricably Linked.
International law and infectious diseases is an issue that needs global attention, but especially from the United States.
It has been a trend in American politics for our government to prioritize narrow national interests over pressing international issues.
In the case of infectious diseases, this is not desirable as our lives are put at risk.
There are a variety of new and reemerging infectious diseases that require international cooperation in identifying, preventing, and controlling them.
It is a global threat and has become a pressing issue in our country.
With the rapid rate of globalization, a disease can emerge anywhere in the world and easily make its way to the U.S. via trade and travel.
A state’s ability to handle an infectious disease is undermined by the fact that disease does not respect state borders.
The need for global cooperation is evident, thus making respect for international law very important.
However, the effectiveness of international law is solely dependent on the consent and cooperation between countries.
The American government has proven that it is often unwilling to restrict its freedom to act because of international law.
In the case of infectious disease, this could prove lethal.
Selfish Gain
The sovereignty of states is the issue that our government battles to come to grips with in international law. Infectious diseases require a global strategy and approach.
International legal rules are needed to achieve agreement and a uniform approach among states.
This means that America would have to restrict its freedom to act by submitting to international law.
There are reasons why the American government wouldn’t want to submit to international regulation and the reasons are simple: money and control.
International law and infectious diseases disrupt world traffic and trade. Millions of dollars are lost when countries halt trade with an infected country.
What are our lives worth? The American government should consider that these laws are in place to serve the interests of the people. Our lives and safety should be top priority.
Constantly Emerging and Changing
Our Nation’s Defenses are Insufficient
Reports have found that the risk of infectious diseases in America s on the rise.
It is not surprising that our defenses are far from being sufficient in combating this lethal enemy.
This is why international law and infectious diseases should go hand in hand.
Our government is incapable of dealing with infectious diseases independently, and this has serious implications for our health-care system, national security and our economy.
Horrific newly emerging and reemerging diseases such as Dengue fever, Hepatitis C, Tubercolosis, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and HIV/AIDS are on the rise in our country and they pose a real threat to American citizens if they aren’t contained.
With international trade and travel, this is near to impossible without overarching international law regulations.
Government Needs to Stop Acting as a Law into Itself
America should be leading the way globally in response to infectious diseases.
Our country is heading down a straight and narrow path towards totalitarianism if our government continues to prioritize greedy, narrow national interests over pressing crises.
Our lives are at risk. The United States government needs to be held accountable for its lack of responsibility both nationally and internationally in dealing with infectious diseases.