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1AC
Tournament: Niles Township Invitational | Round: 2 | Opponent: Rufus King SK | Judge: Matt Olson Contention 1 is US-Mexico Relations US-Mexico relations are at a pivotal point—failure to ratify the THA erodes trust and collapses Mexican relations Kerry et al, 12 (JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts, Chairman ¶ BARBARA BOXER, California RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana¶ ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey BOB CORKER, Tennessee¶ BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho¶ ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr., Pennsylvania MARCO RUBIO, Florida¶ JIM WEBB, Virginia JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma¶ JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire JIM DeMINT, South Carolina¶ CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia¶ RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming¶ TOM UDALL, New Mexico MIKE LEE, Utah¶ William C. Danvers, Staff Director ¶ Kenneth A. Myers, Jr., Republican Staff Director, “OIL, MEXICO, AND THE AGREEMENT”, December 2012, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CPRT-112SPRT77567/html/CPRT-112SPRT77567.htm) Perhaps the most important U.S.-specific benefits of the TBA are three-fold. … AND …U.S. companies could be shut out of certain opportunities until the TBA is ratified. It’s the key issue—energy cooperation leads to broader cooperation Pascual, 13 (Carlos, Vice president and Director of Foreign policy, the Brookings Institution, “U.S. – Mexico Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreement and Steps Needed for Implementation”, April 25th, 2013, http://naturalresources.house.gov/uploadedfiles/pascualtestimony04-25-13.pdf)//moxley The Transboundary Agreement is an important step in our national efforts… AND …deeper and more meaningful ¶ collaboration over time. Increased US-Mexico relations key to stop the spread of organized crime and drug trafficking Olson, 9 (Eric L., M.A., International Affairs, American University; B.A., History and Secondary Education, Trinity College, Associate Director of the Latin American Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, as a Senior Specialist in the Department for Promotion of Good Governance at the Organization of American States, January 2009, http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/The20U.S.20and20Mexico.20Towards20a20Strategic20Partnership.pdf) It is time to strengthen the U.S. relationship with Mexico. … And …bilateral approach ¶ that limits the reach of organized crime Mexico drug violence leads to oil shocks and economic collapse Moran, 9 (7/31/09, Michael, executive editor and policy analyst, Council on Foreign Relations, “Six Crises, 2009: A Half-Dozen Ways Geopolitics Could Upset Global Recovery,” http://fbkfinanzwirtschaft.wordpress.com/2009/08/07/six-crises-2009-a-half-dozen-ways-geopolitics-could-upset-global-recovery/) Risk 2: Mexico Drug Violence:¶ At Stake: Oil prices, … AND …“renegotiate NAFTA,” a pledge he deftly sidestepped once in office. Energy shocks cause great power nuke war Qasem, 7 Islam Yasin, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Politics and Social Sciences at the University of Pompeu Fabra (UPF) in Barcelona, MA in International Affairs from Columbia, July 9, 2007, “The Coming Warfare of Oil Shortage,” online: http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_islam_ya_070709_the_coming_warfare_o.htm Recognizing the strategic value of oil for their national interests, … AND …the chances of using nuclear weapons in pursues of national interests are high. Economic decline causes war Royal, 10 Director of Cooperative Threat Reduction at the U.S. Department of Defense Jedediah Royal, 2010, Economic Integration, Economic Signaling and the Problem of Economic Crises, in Economics of War and Peace: Economic, Legal and Political Perspectives, ed. Goldsmith and Brauer, p. 213-215 Less intuitive is how periods of economic decline may increase the likelihood of external conflict. … AND …This implied connection between integration, crises and armed conflict has not featured prominently in the economic-security debate and deserves more attention. Plan: The United States federal government should ratify the Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreement Contention 2 is the Mexican Economy PEMEX is declining—fields are being used up–reforms for deep water drilling and private investment from TBA is needed to diversify Mexico’s portfolio Kerry et al, 12 (JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts, Chairman ¶ BARBARA BOXER, California RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana¶ ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey BOB CORKER, Tennessee¶ BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho¶ ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr., Pennsylvania MARCO RUBIO, Florida¶ JIM WEBB, Virginia JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma¶ JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire JIM DeMINT, South Carolina¶ CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia¶ RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming¶ TOM UDALL, New Mexico MIKE LEE, Utah¶ William C. Danvers, Staff Director ¶ Kenneth A. Myers, Jr., Republican Staff Director, “OIL, MEXICO, AND THE AGREEMENT”, December 2012, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CPRT-112SPRT77567/html/CPRT-112SPRT77567.htm) Progress, but can it last? … AND …from poverty alleviation to the rule of law, let alone broader economic growth. PEMEX and oil decline will drive Mexico into a financial crisis Krauss and Malkin, 10 Clifford Kraus and Elisabeth Malkin, Krauss is a national business correspondent based in Houston covering energy for the NYT, Malkin covers environmental and energy news especially for Mexico for the NYT, March 8, 2010, “Mexico Oil Politics Keeps Riches Just Out of Reach”, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/business/global/09pemex.html?pagewanted=alland_r=0. VENUSTIANO CARRANZA, Mexico — To the Mexican people, … AND …“Without doubt, Pemex is in a key moment in its history,” he said. Current reforms are insufficient–private investment is needed Otillar, 13 Steven Otillar, has been representing clients in the development, finance, acquisition and divestiture of domestic and international energy projects for over 15 years, with a particular emphasis on upstream projects in emerging markets, May 1, 2013, “Outlook for Mexico's Oil Industry -- Opportunities and Obstacles”, http://cdn.akingump.com/images/content/2/3/v2/23206/Akin-Otillar.pdf. The Need for Reform Production from Mexico’s shallow offshore fields… AND …Mexico could exponentially expand the number, type and complexity of projects being pursued in the aggregate. THA creates private investment and creates momentum for energy reform Kerry et al, 12 (JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts, Chairman ¶ BARBARA BOXER, California RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana¶ ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey BOB CORKER, Tennessee¶ BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho¶ ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr., Pennsylvania MARCO RUBIO, Florida¶ JIM WEBB, Virginia JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma¶ JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire JIM DeMINT, South Carolina¶ CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia¶ RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming¶ TOM UDALL, New Mexico MIKE LEE, Utah¶ William C. Danvers, Staff Director ¶ Kenneth A. Myers, Jr., Republican Staff Director, “OIL, MEXICO, AND THE AGREEMENT”, December 2012, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CPRT-112SPRT77567/html/CPRT-112SPRT77567.htm) The TBA further contains requirements of data sharing and notification of likely reserves between the United States and Mexico, … AND …passage of the TBA could help prompt broader domestic energy reform in Mexico. THA solves Mexican growth and eliminate US foreign oil dependence Kerry et al, 12 (JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts, Chairman ¶ BARBARA BOXER, California RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana¶ ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey BOB CORKER, Tennessee¶ BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho¶ ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr., Pennsylvania MARCO RUBIO, Florida¶ JIM WEBB, Virginia JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma¶ JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire JIM DeMINT, South Carolina¶ CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia¶ RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming¶ TOM UDALL, New Mexico MIKE LEE, Utah¶ William C. Danvers, Staff Director ¶ Kenneth A. Myers, Jr., Republican Staff Director, “OIL, MEXICO, AND THE AGREEMENT”, December 2012, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CPRT-112SPRT77567/html/CPRT-112SPRT77567.htm) The centerpiece of the TBA is the mandate to establish so-called ‘‘unitization’’ … AND …As a reliable, proximate, and friendly neighbor, Mexican oil imports support U.S. energy security Mexican economic decline causes Mexican collapse and immigration Barnes, 11 Joe Barnes, the Bonner Means Baker Fellow at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, written extensively on international economics, with a focus on the geopolitics of energy, April 29, 2011, “The Future of Oil in Mexico”, http://bakerinstitute.org/publications/EF-pub-BarnesBilateral-04292011.pdf. In summary. the slow decline of Mexican oil production… AND …Pemex's development into something like Norway's Statol would mark an important improvement.36 Mexican collapse causes a flood of refugees and terrorism. Brown, 9 Michael, Undersecretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response in the Department of Homeland Security, “Border Control: Collapse of Mexico Is A Homeland Security and National Security Issue,” 1/14, http://michaelbrowntoday.com/journal/2009/1/15/border-control-collapse-of-mexico-is-a-homeland-security-nat.html By failing to secure the borders and control immigration, … AND … just laying in wait to attack at an appropriately vulnerable time. Nuclear terrorism causes extinction Ayson, 10 Professor of Strategic Studies and Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies: New Zealand at the Victoria University of Wellington (Robert, July. “After a Terrorist Nuclear Attack: Envisaging Catalytic Effects.” Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, Vol. 33, Issue 7. InformaWorld.) But these two nuclear worlds—a non-state actor nuclear attack and a catastrophic interstate nuclear exchange… AND …what conclusions might it then draw about their culpability US-Mexican border terrorism results in bioterror attacks Timmerman, 10 Ken, Newsmax correspondent, “FBI Director Mueller: Al-Qaida Still Wants Nuclear Bomb,” 3/18, http://newsmax.com/Newsfront/mueller-fbi-alqaida-nuclear/2010/03/18/id/353169 FBI Director Robert Mueller warned Congress on Wednesday… AND …are guaranteed to kill 330,000 Americans within a single hour if it is properly spread in population centers there,” al-Nasifi said. Bioterror leads to extinction Sandberg, 8 Anders, is a James Martin Research Fellow at the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University; Jason G. Matheny, PhD candidate in Health Policy and Management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and special consultant to the Center for Biosecurity at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; Milan M. ?irkovi?, senior research associate at the Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade and assistant professor of physics at the University of Novi Sad in Serbia and Montenegro, 9/8/8, “How can we reduce the risk of human extinction?,” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists,http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/features/how-can-we-reduce-the-risk-of-human-extinction The risks from anthropogenic hazards appear at present larger than those from natural ones… AND …the likelihood may increase as biotechnologies continue to improve at a rate rivaling Moore's Law. U.S. energy independence solves energy shocks and is key to US hegemony Graeber, 13 (Daniel J., Senior Analyst at Oil Price; “U.S. Energy Independence Weakens its Power”- Oil Price; May 15, 2013, http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/U.S.-Energy-Independence-Weakens-its-Power.html) U.S. policymakers favouring the oil industry said gains in production would help… AND …could hold the same geopolitical influence over global markets that OPEC members did in the 1970s. Oil reliance devastates American hegemony Kagan 12 – Senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a columnist for the Washington Post, served in the U.S. State department, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and senior transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund ( Robert, 2012, “ The World America Made” book)bs The low point came in 1979, when the Shah was overthrown… AND …“They have us by the balls.”116 U.S. power projection solves great power war – the alternative is violence and chaos Kagan, 12 (Robert – senior fellow of foreign policy at the Center on the United States and Europe, America Has Made the World Freer, Safer and Wealthier, p. http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2012/0314_us_power_kagan.aspx) We take a lot for granted about the way the world looks today… AND …which was what the world looked like right before the American order came into being. It’s try or die to solve energy crises—Saudi Arabia is running out of oil Lahn and Stevens, 11 Glada, Research Fellow for Energy and Development at Chatham House, Professor Paul, Senior Research Fellow for Energy at Chatham House and Emeritus Professor at Dundee University, “Burning Oil to Keep Cool,” 12/2011, http://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/public/Research/Energy,20Environment20and20Development/1211pr_lahn_stevens.pdf STRYKER The world’s largest exporter of oil is consuming so much energy… AND …At a local level, electricity shortages caused by demand outpacing infrastructure have already triggered rare protests in at least one province.
9/17/13
1AC -- Embargo
Tournament: St Marx Sophomore Hoe Down | Round: 6 | Opponent: Coppell AB | Judge: 1AC
Plan Plan: The United States federal government should normalize its trade relations with Cuba. 1AC
Advantage 1 is the Transition
Cuban reforms are inevitable but the loss of external investment risks economic and social collapse – offering normal trade relations is vital Ashby 13, Senior Research Fellow at the Council on Hemispheric Affairs. He served in the U.S. Commerce Department's International Trade Administration as Director of the Office of Mexico and the Caribbean and acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for the Western Hemisphere(Timothy, "Preserving Stability in Cuba After Normalizing Relations with the United States – The Importance of Trading with State-Owned Enterprises" 3/29/13, Council on Hemispheric Affairs, http://www.coha.org/preserving-stability-in-cuba-timothy-ashby/)//AD Cuba under Raúl Castro has entered a new period of Two-way trade must include both Cuba’s private sector as well as SOEs.
Failure of economic reform causes civil war Lopez-Levy 11 – PhD candidate at Josef Korbel School of International Studies, coauthor of “Raul Castro and the New Cuba” (Arturo, New America Foundation, May 2011, http://newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/policydocs/naf_all_cuba_reform_final.pdf)//EK Indeed, if Cuba’s economic reform fails and local revolts process of political liberalization that welcomes the growth of nonpartisan Cuban civil society organizations.
Economic liberalization will force political reform to accommodate Lopez-Levy 13 – PhD candidate at Josef Korbel School of International Studies, coauthor of “Raul Castro and the New Cuba” (Arturo, The National Interest, April 10, 2013, http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/getting-ready-post-castro-cuba-8316)//EK If Cuba implements the type of ger leaders in an orderly fashion
Cuban collapse destroys the global war on terror and makes conflicts in hotspots around the globe more likely Gorrell, 5 - Lieutenant Colonel, US Army, paper submitted for the USAWC STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT (Tim, “CUBA: THE NEXT UNANTICIPATED ANTICIPATED STRATEGIC CRISIS?” http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA433074 GWOT=Global War on Terrorism ¶ Regardless of the succession, under the current U.S. policy, Cuba in an effort to facilitate a manageable transition to post-Castro Cuba?
Hotspots all risk escalation to global nuclear war Bosco 2006 (a senior editor at Foreign Policy magazine, David, July 2006, “Forum: Keeping an eye peeled for World War III” http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06211/709477-109.stm_) ¶ The s not even a hint that France, Russia or China would respond militarily.
Independently, enforcing the embargo itself undermines the war on terror Johnson, et al, 10 – Andy Johnson is a director in the national security program at The Third Way (“End the Embargo of Cuba”, The National Security Program, 9/6/10, http://content.thirdway.org/publications/326/Third_Way_Memo_-_End_the_Embargo_of_Cuba.pdf)//EX Keeping the embargo in place requires that the US government devote time and resources to fighting a Cold War-era threat. Senator Chris Dodd argued in a 2005 oped that path for engaging Cuba.
A Cuban crisis will collapse the war on terror – economic engagement solves Gorrell, 5 - Lieutenant Colonel, US Army, paper submitted for the USAWC STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT (Tim, “CUBA: THE NEXT UNANTICIPATED ANTICIPATED STRATEGIC CRISIS?” http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA433074 GWOT=Global War on Terrorism
U.S. policy makers need to confront the real Cuba of today in order to build a “free” Cuba of attempting a bold shift in its policy toward Cuba? the growth of nuclear power and lack of effective security make Latin America key to trafficking and nuclear weapons access Sanchez 10 – W. Alejandro “Alex” Sánchez Nieto is a Research Fellow at the Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA) where he focuses on geopolitics and security issues. Sanchez holds a Master’s degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from the School of International Service at American University and has attended the Institute of World Politics, Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies, as well as universities in Austria, Belgium and France. His analyses have appeared in journals including Small Wars and Insurgencies, Defence Studies, the Journal of Slavic Military Studies, European Security, Studies in Conflict and Terrorism and Cuban Affairs. (“Nuclear Security Issues in Latin America and the Caribbean Under the Radar”, January 11th, 2010, http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=11902) Globally, nuclear power has become an increasingly important source of energy, accounting for about 15 percent of the world’s electricity supply. When it comes to Latin America, 3.1 percent of electricity comes from this source. However, nuclear energy plants and more nuclear waste passing through the Caribbean.
Removing sanctions and allowing greater engagement makes the democratization process stable Lopez-Levy 11 – PhD candidate at Josef Korbel School of International Studies, coauthor of “Raul Castro and the New Cuba” (Arturo, New America Foundation, May 2011, http://newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/policydocs/naf_all_cuba_reform_final.pdf)//EK Diplomacy, not sanctions, must be the primary has for the independence of civil society. The United States should support such a course in Cuba.
Greater focus and resources to counter-terrorism is vital – WMD terrorism risks are increasing Clark, 13 - Bruce Clarke is a retired Army Colonel with extensive strategic, operational and tactical experience. He is widely published on a myriad of strategic and operational subjects. Immediately prior to his retirement from the Army, Colonel Clarke was the Director of US National Security Studies at the US Army War College (Bruce, The Examiner, “ The end to the war on terrorism--really?” 5/28, http://www.examiner.com/article/the-end-to-the-war-on-terrorism-really)\ Unfortunately this ambitious vision is unattainable because it is not based in the reality ! No one should doubt that al Qaeda, Hezbollah or Iran's Revolutionary Guards will use them when they get them. This risks extinction Ayson 10 - Professor of Strategic Studies and Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies: New Zealand at the Victoria University of Wellington (Robert, “After a Terrorist Nuclear Attack: Envisaging Catalytic Effects,” Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 33.7, InformaWorld)BB But these two nuclear worlds—a non-state actor nuclear attack and a catastrophic although it must be admitted that any preemption would probably still meet with a devastating response.
1AC
Advantage 2 is Multilateralism
US leadership is unsustainable without a highly visible commitment to multilateralism Lake, 10– Professor of Social Sciences, distinguished professor of political science at UC San Diego (David A., “Making America Safe for the World: Multilateralism and the Rehabilitation of US authority”, http://dss.ucsd.edu/~dlake/documents/LakeMakingAmericaSafe.pdf)//NG The safeguarding of US authority requires multilateralism that is broader and, the United States should, in its own self-interest, lead the way to a new world order.¶
The plan is a powerful symbol of that commitment Burgsdorff, 9 – Ph. D in Political Science from Freiburg University, EU Fellow at the University of Miami (Sven Kühn von, “Problems and Opportunities for the Incoming Obama Administration”, http://aei.pitt.edu.proxy.lib.umich.edu/11047/1/vonBurgsdorfUSvsCubalong09edi.pdf)//NG 6.3 How would the international community react? as steps towards effective multilateralism.
The embargo is straining any efforts to have successful multilateral institutions Williams, 9 – (Erasmus, “St. Kitts and Nevis votes to end Cuba embargo”, 30 October, 2009, http://m.sknvibes.com/news/newsdetails.cfm/11840) The 192-Member Assembly in its resolution urged the lifting of stiff commercial, financial and economic sanctions that were slapped on Cuba in the aftermath of the cold war. This marked the eighteenth year the world body had adopted a similar resolution on the issue.¶ As happened last year, a burst of applause In the Geneva Convention of 1948, it was classified as an act of genocide, he added.
The alternative to multilateralism is unilateral militarism – the plan establishes a model for hemispheric diplomacy that sustains US leadership Grandin 10 – teaches history at New York University and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (Greg, “Empire's Senescence: U.S. Policy in Latin America,” New Labor Forum, 19:1, Winter 2010, pg. 14-23)SJF Washington’s relations with Latin America— —as domestic ideologues, unchecked corporate power, and political paralysis quicken the U.S.’s fall.
The plan creates a credible model for multilateral conflict resolution Dickerson 10 – Lieutenant Colonel, US Army, paper submitted in fulfillment of a Master of Strategic Studies Degree at the US Army War College (Sergio M, “UNITED STATES SECURITY STRATEGY TOWARDS CUBA,” 1/14/10, http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a518053.pdf)//SJF At the international political level, President Obama sees resuming relations with Cuba as a real step towards multilateralism and leadership. The U.S. could begin to lead again and reverse its perceived decline in the greater global order bringing true peace for years to come.
This diplomatic approach prevents conflict escalation. Only the AFF can access I/L to stopping incentives for war Wright 10 – Executive director of studies at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs (Thomas, "Strategic Engagement’s Track Record," The Washington Quarterly)NG
The obstacles to a new international order are not is possible only in ‘legitimate’ international orders.49
Reliance on unilateralism will collapse US leadership and cause global wars with weapons of mass destruction Montalván, 10 - a 17-year veteran of the U.S. Army including multiple combat tours in Iraq, master's of science from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism (Luis, “Multilateralism is Essential for Peace in the 21st Century” Huffington Post, 4/23, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/luis-carlos-montalvan/multilateralism-is-essent_b_550332.html) ¶ Unilateralism is the wrong approach for American Diplomacy. There is nothing to suggest its efficacy since 9/11. There is nothing to suggest its usefulness for future conflict. In allowing the, and used the brain power and resources available to mitigate these issues?" -- Lt. Col. Matthew Canfield, U.S. Army (Currently on his second tour in Iraq)¶ Concerns over economic stability, limited resources and security have divided us. Now is the time to create rather than divide common ground.
Multilateralism prevents nuclear war with rising Asian powers - unilat - mil backlash b/c Asian powers want to rise - but multilat solves that – coop with cina Kugler, 6– Professor of World Politics at Claremont Graduate University (Jacek, “The Asian Ascent: Opportunity for Peace or Precondition for War?”, http://sobek.colorado.edu/~lewiso/Kugler20-20The20Asian20Ascent.pdf)//NG Given the fundamental importance of demographic and economic forces in establishing the roster of states capable of fundamentally affecting the structure of world politics, whatever resolution there might be to the Global War on Terror will not alter the major challenge faced by the United States. In the long run, China’s demographic and hence economic power cannot be denied. By the same reasoning, this is true even in the face of the enormous costs that reasonably would be anticipated from a nuclear war
Helms-Burton has failed to advance the cause of freedom and prosperity for the Cuban people. and the success of their transitions to democracies and market economies.xi
Lifting the embargo would solve US-Latin American multilateralism Pascual and Huddleston 09 - Carlos Pascual is a Cuban-American diplomat and the former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico and Ukraine. Vicki Huddleston is a U.S. diplomat. (“CUBA: A New Policy of Critical and Constructive Engagement”, Foreign Policy at Brookings, April 2009) MCallahan U.S. policy toward Cuba should advance the democratic aspirations of the Cuban people and strengthen U.S.. If Cuba’s leaders know that Cuba can become a full member upon meeting standard requirements, they could have an incentive to carry out difficult reforms that ultimately benefit the Cuban people.
The embargo is the symbol of America’s attempt to democratize – accepting political diversity now through Cuba is key to successful reform of American policy Ratliff, 2013 (William, research fellow and former curator of the Americas Collection at the Hoover Institution, he is also a research fellow of the Independent Institute, an expert on Latin America, China, and US foreign policy, “Cuba's Tortured Transition”, 1/30/2013, http://www.hoover.org/publications/defining-ideas/article/1392810) A New Policy to Cuba Since the early 1990s and looking objectively at the reforms under way today and deciding how Washington can promote change while defusing rather than stoking domestic conflict and tensions.
No alt causes to multilat Haass, 2009 (Richard N. Haas, President, Council on Foreign Relations Expertise in U.S. foreign policy; international security; globalization; Asia; Middle East , “Forget About Fidel”, The Daily Beast, 03/06/2009, http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2009/03/06/forget-about-fidel.html) The Obama administration has a great opportunity to begin modifying U.S. policy before or during the Summit of the Americas, to be held in April in Trinidad. A new U.S. policy would not only North Korea, Syria and even Iran. Surely it ought to be able to do so with Cuba. Removing the embargo is key to reengagement with Latin America Gerz-Escandon 08 - Jennifer, Ph.D., International Relations and former professor of political science at Lynn University, October 9, ‘8, “End the US-Cuba embargo: It's a win-win,” Christian Science Monitor, http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2008/1009/p09s02-coop.html For its part, by ending the embargo, the US simultaneously gains security through stability in Cuba. effective in reshaping America's perception in Latin Ame rica than the hard power of economic isolation ever did.
10/23/13
1AC -- Embargo
Tournament: St Marx Sophomore Hoe Down | Round: 6 | Opponent: Coppell AB | Judge: 1AC
Plan Plan: The United States federal government should normalize its trade relations with Cuba. 1AC
Advantage 1 is the Transition
Cuban reforms are inevitable but the loss of external investment risks economic and social collapse – offering normal trade relations is vital Ashby 13, Senior Research Fellow at the Council on Hemispheric Affairs. He served in the U.S. Commerce Department's International Trade Administration as Director of the Office of Mexico and the Caribbean and acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for the Western Hemisphere(Timothy, "Preserving Stability in Cuba After Normalizing Relations with the United States – The Importance of Trading with State-Owned Enterprises" 3/29/13, Council on Hemispheric Affairs, http://www.coha.org/preserving-stability-in-cuba-timothy-ashby/)//AD Cuba under Raúl Castro has entered a new period of Two-way trade must include both Cuba’s private sector as well as SOEs.
Failure of economic reform causes civil war Lopez-Levy 11 – PhD candidate at Josef Korbel School of International Studies, coauthor of “Raul Castro and the New Cuba” (Arturo, New America Foundation, May 2011, http://newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/policydocs/naf_all_cuba_reform_final.pdf)//EK Indeed, if Cuba’s economic reform fails and local revolts process of political liberalization that welcomes the growth of nonpartisan Cuban civil society organizations.
Economic liberalization will force political reform to accommodate Lopez-Levy 13 – PhD candidate at Josef Korbel School of International Studies, coauthor of “Raul Castro and the New Cuba” (Arturo, The National Interest, April 10, 2013, http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/getting-ready-post-castro-cuba-8316)//EK If Cuba implements the type of ger leaders in an orderly fashion
Cuban collapse destroys the global war on terror and makes conflicts in hotspots around the globe more likely Gorrell, 5 - Lieutenant Colonel, US Army, paper submitted for the USAWC STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT (Tim, “CUBA: THE NEXT UNANTICIPATED ANTICIPATED STRATEGIC CRISIS?” http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA433074 GWOT=Global War on Terrorism ¶ Regardless of the succession, under the current U.S. policy, Cuba in an effort to facilitate a manageable transition to post-Castro Cuba?
Hotspots all risk escalation to global nuclear war Bosco 2006 (a senior editor at Foreign Policy magazine, David, July 2006, “Forum: Keeping an eye peeled for World War III” http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06211/709477-109.stm_) ¶ The s not even a hint that France, Russia or China would respond militarily.
Independently, enforcing the embargo itself undermines the war on terror Johnson, et al, 10 – Andy Johnson is a director in the national security program at The Third Way (“End the Embargo of Cuba”, The National Security Program, 9/6/10, http://content.thirdway.org/publications/326/Third_Way_Memo_-_End_the_Embargo_of_Cuba.pdf)//EX Keeping the embargo in place requires that the US government devote time and resources to fighting a Cold War-era threat. Senator Chris Dodd argued in a 2005 oped that path for engaging Cuba.
A Cuban crisis will collapse the war on terror – economic engagement solves Gorrell, 5 - Lieutenant Colonel, US Army, paper submitted for the USAWC STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT (Tim, “CUBA: THE NEXT UNANTICIPATED ANTICIPATED STRATEGIC CRISIS?” http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA433074 GWOT=Global War on Terrorism
U.S. policy makers need to confront the real Cuba of today in order to build a “free” Cuba of attempting a bold shift in its policy toward Cuba? the growth of nuclear power and lack of effective security make Latin America key to trafficking and nuclear weapons access Sanchez 10 – W. Alejandro “Alex” Sánchez Nieto is a Research Fellow at the Council on Hemispheric Affairs (COHA) where he focuses on geopolitics and security issues. Sanchez holds a Master’s degree in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from the School of International Service at American University and has attended the Institute of World Politics, Johns Hopkins’ School of Advanced International Studies, as well as universities in Austria, Belgium and France. His analyses have appeared in journals including Small Wars and Insurgencies, Defence Studies, the Journal of Slavic Military Studies, European Security, Studies in Conflict and Terrorism and Cuban Affairs. (“Nuclear Security Issues in Latin America and the Caribbean Under the Radar”, January 11th, 2010, http://www.thecuttingedgenews.com/index.php?article=11902) Globally, nuclear power has become an increasingly important source of energy, accounting for about 15 percent of the world’s electricity supply. When it comes to Latin America, 3.1 percent of electricity comes from this source. However, nuclear energy plants and more nuclear waste passing through the Caribbean.
Removing sanctions and allowing greater engagement makes the democratization process stable Lopez-Levy 11 – PhD candidate at Josef Korbel School of International Studies, coauthor of “Raul Castro and the New Cuba” (Arturo, New America Foundation, May 2011, http://newamerica.net/sites/newamerica.net/files/policydocs/naf_all_cuba_reform_final.pdf)//EK Diplomacy, not sanctions, must be the primary has for the independence of civil society. The United States should support such a course in Cuba.
Greater focus and resources to counter-terrorism is vital – WMD terrorism risks are increasing Clark, 13 - Bruce Clarke is a retired Army Colonel with extensive strategic, operational and tactical experience. He is widely published on a myriad of strategic and operational subjects. Immediately prior to his retirement from the Army, Colonel Clarke was the Director of US National Security Studies at the US Army War College (Bruce, The Examiner, “ The end to the war on terrorism--really?” 5/28, http://www.examiner.com/article/the-end-to-the-war-on-terrorism-really)\ Unfortunately this ambitious vision is unattainable because it is not based in the reality ! No one should doubt that al Qaeda, Hezbollah or Iran's Revolutionary Guards will use them when they get them. This risks extinction Ayson 10 - Professor of Strategic Studies and Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies: New Zealand at the Victoria University of Wellington (Robert, “After a Terrorist Nuclear Attack: Envisaging Catalytic Effects,” Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, 33.7, InformaWorld)BB But these two nuclear worlds—a non-state actor nuclear attack and a catastrophic although it must be admitted that any preemption would probably still meet with a devastating response.
1AC
Advantage 2 is Multilateralism
US leadership is unsustainable without a highly visible commitment to multilateralism Lake, 10– Professor of Social Sciences, distinguished professor of political science at UC San Diego (David A., “Making America Safe for the World: Multilateralism and the Rehabilitation of US authority”, http://dss.ucsd.edu/~dlake/documents/LakeMakingAmericaSafe.pdf)//NG The safeguarding of US authority requires multilateralism that is broader and, the United States should, in its own self-interest, lead the way to a new world order.¶
The plan is a powerful symbol of that commitment Burgsdorff, 9 – Ph. D in Political Science from Freiburg University, EU Fellow at the University of Miami (Sven Kühn von, “Problems and Opportunities for the Incoming Obama Administration”, http://aei.pitt.edu.proxy.lib.umich.edu/11047/1/vonBurgsdorfUSvsCubalong09edi.pdf)//NG 6.3 How would the international community react? as steps towards effective multilateralism.
The embargo is straining any efforts to have successful multilateral institutions Williams, 9 – (Erasmus, “St. Kitts and Nevis votes to end Cuba embargo”, 30 October, 2009, http://m.sknvibes.com/news/newsdetails.cfm/11840) The 192-Member Assembly in its resolution urged the lifting of stiff commercial, financial and economic sanctions that were slapped on Cuba in the aftermath of the cold war. This marked the eighteenth year the world body had adopted a similar resolution on the issue.¶ As happened last year, a burst of applause In the Geneva Convention of 1948, it was classified as an act of genocide, he added.
The alternative to multilateralism is unilateral militarism – the plan establishes a model for hemispheric diplomacy that sustains US leadership Grandin 10 – teaches history at New York University and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (Greg, “Empire's Senescence: U.S. Policy in Latin America,” New Labor Forum, 19:1, Winter 2010, pg. 14-23)SJF Washington’s relations with Latin America— —as domestic ideologues, unchecked corporate power, and political paralysis quicken the U.S.’s fall.
The plan creates a credible model for multilateral conflict resolution Dickerson 10 – Lieutenant Colonel, US Army, paper submitted in fulfillment of a Master of Strategic Studies Degree at the US Army War College (Sergio M, “UNITED STATES SECURITY STRATEGY TOWARDS CUBA,” 1/14/10, http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a518053.pdf)//SJF At the international political level, President Obama sees resuming relations with Cuba as a real step towards multilateralism and leadership. The U.S. could begin to lead again and reverse its perceived decline in the greater global order bringing true peace for years to come.
This diplomatic approach prevents conflict escalation. Only the AFF can access I/L to stopping incentives for war Wright 10 – Executive director of studies at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs (Thomas, "Strategic Engagement’s Track Record," The Washington Quarterly)NG
The obstacles to a new international order are not is possible only in ‘legitimate’ international orders.49
Reliance on unilateralism will collapse US leadership and cause global wars with weapons of mass destruction Montalván, 10 - a 17-year veteran of the U.S. Army including multiple combat tours in Iraq, master's of science from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism (Luis, “Multilateralism is Essential for Peace in the 21st Century” Huffington Post, 4/23, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/luis-carlos-montalvan/multilateralism-is-essent_b_550332.html) ¶ Unilateralism is the wrong approach for American Diplomacy. There is nothing to suggest its efficacy since 9/11. There is nothing to suggest its usefulness for future conflict. In allowing the, and used the brain power and resources available to mitigate these issues?" -- Lt. Col. Matthew Canfield, U.S. Army (Currently on his second tour in Iraq)¶ Concerns over economic stability, limited resources and security have divided us. Now is the time to create rather than divide common ground.
Multilateralism prevents nuclear war with rising Asian powers - unilat - mil backlash b/c Asian powers want to rise - but multilat solves that – coop with cina Kugler, 6– Professor of World Politics at Claremont Graduate University (Jacek, “The Asian Ascent: Opportunity for Peace or Precondition for War?”, http://sobek.colorado.edu/~lewiso/Kugler20-20The20Asian20Ascent.pdf)//NG Given the fundamental importance of demographic and economic forces in establishing the roster of states capable of fundamentally affecting the structure of world politics, whatever resolution there might be to the Global War on Terror will not alter the major challenge faced by the United States. In the long run, China’s demographic and hence economic power cannot be denied. By the same reasoning, this is true even in the face of the enormous costs that reasonably would be anticipated from a nuclear war
Helms-Burton has failed to advance the cause of freedom and prosperity for the Cuban people. and the success of their transitions to democracies and market economies.xi
Lifting the embargo would solve US-Latin American multilateralism Pascual and Huddleston 09 - Carlos Pascual is a Cuban-American diplomat and the former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico and Ukraine. Vicki Huddleston is a U.S. diplomat. (“CUBA: A New Policy of Critical and Constructive Engagement”, Foreign Policy at Brookings, April 2009) MCallahan U.S. policy toward Cuba should advance the democratic aspirations of the Cuban people and strengthen U.S.. If Cuba’s leaders know that Cuba can become a full member upon meeting standard requirements, they could have an incentive to carry out difficult reforms that ultimately benefit the Cuban people.
The embargo is the symbol of America’s attempt to democratize – accepting political diversity now through Cuba is key to successful reform of American policy Ratliff, 2013 (William, research fellow and former curator of the Americas Collection at the Hoover Institution, he is also a research fellow of the Independent Institute, an expert on Latin America, China, and US foreign policy, “Cuba's Tortured Transition”, 1/30/2013, http://www.hoover.org/publications/defining-ideas/article/1392810) A New Policy to Cuba Since the early 1990s and looking objectively at the reforms under way today and deciding how Washington can promote change while defusing rather than stoking domestic conflict and tensions.
No alt causes to multilat Haass, 2009 (Richard N. Haas, President, Council on Foreign Relations Expertise in U.S. foreign policy; international security; globalization; Asia; Middle East , “Forget About Fidel”, The Daily Beast, 03/06/2009, http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2009/03/06/forget-about-fidel.html) The Obama administration has a great opportunity to begin modifying U.S. policy before or during the Summit of the Americas, to be held in April in Trinidad. A new U.S. policy would not only North Korea, Syria and even Iran. Surely it ought to be able to do so with Cuba. Removing the embargo is key to reengagement with Latin America Gerz-Escandon 08 - Jennifer, Ph.D., International Relations and former professor of political science at Lynn University, October 9, ‘8, “End the US-Cuba embargo: It's a win-win,” Christian Science Monitor, http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2008/1009/p09s02-coop.html For its part, by ending the embargo, the US simultaneously gains security through stability in Cuba. effective in reshaping America's perception in Latin Ame rica than the hard power of economic isolation ever did.
10/23/13
1AC -- MultilateralismTransition
Tournament: IDCA State | Round: 1 | Opponent: Walter Payton BC | Judge: 1AC—Plan Text Plan: The United States federal government should normalize its trade relations with the Republic of Cuba. 1AC—Transition CONTENTION 1 IS THE CUBAN TRANSITION: Cuba’s current reforms are slow, contradictory, and insufficient—the plan is key Shifter et al 10/15 – Michael is an Adjunct Professor of Latin American Studies at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and writes for the Council's journal Foreign Affairs. He serves as the President of Inter-American Dialogue. Matthew Aho is a consultant in the corporate practice group of Akerman Senterfitt in New York. Collin Laverty is the founder and president of Cuba Educational Travel. Kirby Jones is the president of Alamar Associates in Arizona. Carmelo Mesa-Lago is a professor emeritus of economics and Latin American studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Archibald Ritter is a distinguished research professor emeritus of economics and international affairs at Carleton University. (“Are Raul Castro’s Reforms Helping Cuba’s Economy, 10/15/13, Latin America Adviser, pdf) *This card is from pages 1,3, and 4 of the pdf. Page two contains a wholly different article. “Are Raúl Castro's Reforms Helping Cuba's Economy?” is published on pages 1, 3 and 4 of the PDF. Our evidence is the entirety of the article. We will provide you the PDF if you are curious* In late September, Cuba's government¶ AND U.S.-Cuba relations¶ during the presidency of Barack Obama." A total repeal of the embargo is critical to provide foreign capital and incentivize liberalization and democracy CSG 13 – The Cuba Study Group is a non-profit and non-partisan organization studying Cuba. (“Restoring Executive Authority Over U.S. Policy Toward Cuba”, February 2013, http://www.cubastudygroup.org/index.cfm/files/serve?File_id=45d8f827-174c-4d43-aa2f-ef7794831032) Beyond failing to advance its stated AND of Cuban proponents of the status quo. More moderate approaches comparatively fail to stabilize Cuba Koenig 10 – Lance is a US Army Colonel. This is a paper submitted for a Masters in Strategic Studies at the US Army War College. (“Time for a New Cuba Policy”, March 11, 2010, http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA518130) The United States requires a policy AND benefit the nations of the Americas. The impact is the Cuban health care sector—it depends upon a democratic and market-based transition Ullmann 05 – Steven G. Ullmann is a Professor and Director, Programs in and Center for Health Sector Management and Policy at U of Miami. This article is part of the Cuba Transition Project, part of the Institute for Cuban and Cuban-American Studies at Miami. (“The Future of Health Care in a Post-Castro Cuba”, 2005, http://ctp.iccas.miami.edu/Research_Studies/StevenUllman.pdf) As a transition occurs, further AND country as well as in this active region of the world. That model stops disease spread worldwide Cooper et al 06 – Richard S. Cooper is in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology at Loyola University – Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA. (“Health in Cuba”, International Journal of Epidemiology, May 4, 2006, http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/content/35/4/817.full.pdf+html) Infectious diseases The combination of AND in the Cuban attempts to improve the health of populations. Global pandemics are coming and direct US intervention fails Weber 06 – Steven Weber is a Professor of Political Science at UC-Berkeley and Director of the Institute of International Studies. (“How Globalization Went Bad”, Foreign Policy, December 27, 2006, http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2006/12/27/how_globalization_went_bad?page=0,2) The same is true for global public health. AND America can't change that alone. Zoonotic diseases specifically lead to extinction Casadevall 12 – Prof @ Department of Microbiology and Immunology and the Division of Infectious Diseases of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine Arturo. (“The future of biological warfare,” Microbial Biotechnology, p. 584-5) In considering the importance of biological AND of natural evolution or bioengineering. 1AC—Multilateralism CONTENTION 2 IS MULTILATERALISM US leadership is unsustainable without a highly visible commitment to multilateralism Lake, 10– Professor of Social Sciences, distinguished professor of political science at UC San Diego (David A., “Making America Safe for the World: Multilateralism and the Rehabilitation of US authority”, http://dss.ucsd.edu/~dlake/documents/LakeMakingAmericaSafe.pdf)//NG The safeguarding of US AND lead the way to a new world order.¶ The embargo is straining any efforts to have successful multilateral institutions Williams, 9 – (Erasmus, “St. Kitts and Nevis votes to end Cuba embargo”, 30 October, 2009, http://m.sknvibes.com/news/newsdetails.cfm/11840) The 192-Member Assembly in its resolution AND of 1948, it was classified as an act of genocide, he added. Total removal is key to send a sufficient signal Vivanco 6 – LLM from Harvard Law School, Americas director of Humans Rights Watch. (Jose Miguel, “Restraint, not force, will bring change to Cuba”, humans rights watch, 12/22/06, http://www.hrw.org/news/2006/12/21/restraint-not-force-will-bring-change-cuba, google scholar) This reluctance would be understandable but AND Goliath will Cuba stop looking like David. The alternative to multilateralism is unilateral militarism – the plan establishes a model for hemispheric diplomacy that sustains US leadership Grandin 10 – teaches history at New York University and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (Greg, “Empire's Senescence: U.S. Policy in Latin America,” New Labor Forum, 19:1, Winter 2010, pg. 14-23)SJF Washington’s relations with Latin America—particularly in AND power, and political paralysis quicken the U.S.’s fall. The plan creates a credible model for multilateral conflict resolution Dickerson 10 – Lieutenant Colonel, US Army, paper submitted in fulfillment of a Master of Strategic Studies Degree at the US Army War College (Sergio M, “UNITED STATES SECURITY STRATEGY TOWARDS CUBA,” 1/14/10, http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a518053.pdf)//SJF At the international political level, President Obama sees AND reverse its perceived decline in the greater global order bringing true peace for years to come. Only this diplomatic approach can stop the incentive for war Wright 10 – Executive director of studies at The Chicago Council on Global Affairs (Thomas, "Strategic Engagement’s Track Record," The Washington Quarterly)NG The obstacles to a new international AND only in ‘legitimate’ international orders.49 Reliance on unilateralism will collapse US leadership and cause global wars with weapons of mass destruction Montalván, 10 - a 17-year veteran of the U.S. Army including multiple combat tours in Iraq, master's of science from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism (Luis, “Multilateralism is Essential for Peace in the 21st Century” Huffington Post, 4/23, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/luis-carlos-montalvan/multilateralism-is-essent_b_550332.html) Unilateralism is the wrong AND Now is the time to create rather than divide common ground. Multilateralism prevents nuclear war with rising Asian powers Kugler, 6– Professor of World Politics at Claremont Graduate University (Jacek, “The Asian Ascent: Opportunity for Peace or Precondition for War?”, http://sobek.colorado.edu/~lewiso/Kugler20-20The20Asian20Ascent.pdf)//NG Given the fundamental importance of demographic AND reasonably would be anticipated from a nuclear war Continued embargo empowers Cuban repression against its own people, promoting inequality and disposability. Human rights is a decision rule CSG ’13 (Cuba Study Group, Restoring Executive Authority Over U.S. Policy Toward Cuba February 2013, http://www.cubastudygroup.org/index.cfm/files/serve?File_id=45d8f827-174c-4d43-aa2f-ef7794831032) Helms-Burton has failed to advance AND their transitions to democracies and market economies.xi
3/25/14
New Plan Text
Tournament: IDCA State | Round: 5 | Opponent: GBN CT | Judge: Text: The United States federal government should initiate a substantial easing of its economic sanctions toward the Republic of Cuba. We'll clarify.
3/25/14
THA AFF
Tournament: St Marx Sophomore Hoe Down | Round: 2 | Opponent: Harker XX | Judge: 1AC Plan Plan: The United States federal government should ratify the Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreement 1AC Contention 1 is the Mexican Economy PEMEX is declining—fields are being used up–reforms for deep water drilling and private investment from TBA is needed to diversify Mexico’s portfolio Kerry et al, 12 (JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts, Chairman ¶ BARBARA BOXER, California RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana¶ ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey BOB CORKER, Tennessee¶ BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho¶ ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr., Pennsylvania MARCO RUBIO, Florida¶ JIM WEBB, Virginia JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma¶ JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire JIM DeMINT, South Carolina¶ CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia¶ RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming¶ TOM UDALL, New Mexico MIKE LEE, Utah¶ William C. Danvers, Staff Director ¶ Kenneth A. Myers, Jr., Republican Staff Director, “OIL, MEXICO, AND THE AGREEMENT”, December 2012, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CPRT-112SPRT77567/html/CPRT-112SPRT77567.htm) Progress, but can it last? poverty alleviation to the rule of law, let alone broader economic growth. PEMEX and oil decline will drive Mexico into a financial crisis Krauss and Malkin, 10 Clifford Kraus and Elisabeth Malkin, Krauss is a national business correspondent based in Houston covering energy for the NYT, Malkin covers environmental and energy news especially for Mexico for the NYT, March 8, 2010, “Mexico Oil Politics Keeps Riches Just Out of Reach”, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/business/global/09pemex.html?pagewanted=alland_r=0. VENUSTIANO CARRANZA, Mexico — To the Mexican people, one of the great achievements in their history was the day their president kicked out foreign oil companies in 1938. Thus, they celebrate March 18 as a civic holiday. Yet today, that 72-year-old act has put Mexico in a straitjacket, one that threatens “Without doubt, Pemex is in a key moment in its history,” he said. Current reforms are insufficient–private investment is needed Otillar, 13 Steven Otillar, has been representing clients in the development, finance, acquisition and divestiture of domestic and international energy projects for over 15 years, with a particular emphasis on upstream projects in emerging markets, May 1, 2013, “Outlook for Mexico's Oil Industry -- Opportunities and Obstacles”, http://cdn.akingump.com/images/content/2/3/v2/23206/Akin-Otillar.pdf. The Need for Reform Production from number, type and complexity of projects being pursued in the aggregate. THA creates private investment and creates momentum for energy reform Kerry et al, 12 (JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts, Chairman ¶ BARBARA BOXER, California RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana¶ ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey BOB CORKER, Tennessee¶ BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho¶ ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr., Pennsylvania MARCO RUBIO, Florida¶ JIM WEBB, Virginia JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma¶ JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire JIM DeMINT, South Carolina¶ CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia¶ RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming¶ TOM UDALL, New Mexico MIKE LEE, Utah¶ William C. Danvers, Staff Director ¶ Kenneth A. Myers, Jr., Republican Staff Director, “OIL, MEXICO, AND THE AGREEMENT”, December 2012, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CPRT-112SPRT77567/html/CPRT-112SPRT77567.htm) The TBA further contains requirements of data sharing and notification of likely reserves between the United States and Mexico, TBA could help prompt broader domestic energy reform in Mexico. THA solves Mexican growth and eliminate US foreign oil dependence Kerry et al, 12 (JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts, Chairman ¶ BARBARA BOXER, California RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana¶ ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey BOB CORKER, Tennessee¶ BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho¶ ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr., Pennsylvania MARCO RUBIO, Florida¶ JIM WEBB, Virginia JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma¶ JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire JIM DeMINT, South Carolina¶ CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia¶ RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming¶ TOM UDALL, New Mexico MIKE LEE, Utah¶ William C. Danvers, Staff Director ¶ Kenneth A. Myers, Jr., Republican Staff Director, “OIL, MEXICO, AND THE AGREEMENT”, December 2012, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CPRT-112SPRT77567/html/CPRT-112SPRT77567.htm) The centerpiece of the TBA is the mandate to establish support U.S. energy security Mexico is key to the US economy Olson 9 (Eric L., M.A., International Affairs, American University; B.A., History and Secondary Education, Trinity College, Associate Director of the Latin American Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, as a Senior Specialist in the Department for Promotion of Good Governance at the Organization of American States, January 2009, http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/The20U.S.20and20Mexico.20Towards20a20Strategic20Partnership.pdf) Mexico also remains vital for the U.S. economy, and, above ¶ all, places an emphasis on improving the well-being ¶ of average citizens in both countries. Econ decline causes war ROYAL 10 Director of Cooperative Threat Reduction at the U.S. Department of Defense Jedediah Royal, 2010, Economic Integration, Economic Signaling and the Problem of Economic Crises, in Economics of War and Peace: Economic, Legal and Political Perspectives, ed. Goldsmith and Brauer, p. 213-215 Less intuitive is how periods of economic decline may he economic-security debate and deserves more attention. Mexican economic decline causes Mexican collapse and immigration Barnes, 11 Joe Barnes, the Bonner Means Baker Fellow at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, written extensively on international economics, with a focus on the geopolitics of energy, April 29, 2011, “The Future of Oil in Mexico”, http://bakerinstitute.org/publications/EF-pub-BarnesBilateral-04292011.pdf. In summary. the slow decline of Mexican oil production, Pemex's development into something like Norway's Statol would mark an important improvement.36 Mexican collapse causes a flood of refugees and terrorism. Brown, 9 Michael, Undersecretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response in the Department of Homeland Security, “Border Control: Collapse of Mexico Is A Homeland Security and National Security Issue,” 1/14, http://michaelbrowntoday.com/journal/2009/1/15/border-control-collapse-of-mexico-is-a-homeland-security-nat.html By failing to secure the borders and control immigration, in wait to attack at an appropriately vulnerable time. Nuclear terrorism causes extinction Ayson, 10 Professor of Strategic Studies and Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies: New Zealand at the Victoria University of Wellington (Robert, July. “After a Terrorist Nuclear Attack: Envisaging Catalytic Effects.” Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, Vol. 33, Issue 7. InformaWorld.) But these two nuclear worlds—a non-state actor nuclear attack and a catastrophic interstate nuclear exchange—are not necessarily separable. It is just possible that some sort of terrorist attack, and especially an act of pressure on them, what conclusions might it then draw about their culpability US-Mexican border terrorism results in bioterror attacks Timmerman, 10 Ken, Newsmax correspondent, “FBI Director Mueller: Al-Qaida Still Wants Nuclear Bomb,” 3/18, http://newsmax.com/Newsfront/mueller-fbi-alqaida-nuclear/2010/03/18/id/353169 FBI Director Robert Mueller warned Congress on Americans within a single hour if it is properly spread in population centers there,” al-Nasifi said. Bioterror leads to extinction Sandberg, 8 Anders, is a James Martin Research Fellow at the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University; Jason G. Matheny, PhD candidate in Health Policy and Management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and special consultant to the Center for Biosecurity at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; Milan M. ?irkovi?, senior research associate at the Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade and assistant professor of physics at the University of Novi Sad in Serbia and Montenegro, 9/8/8, “How can we reduce the risk of human extinction?,” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists,http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/features/how-can-we-reduce-the-risk-of-human-extinction The risks from anthropogenic hazards appear at present larger than those from natural ones. Although great progress has been made in reducing the number of nuclear weapons in the world, humanity is rivaling Moore's Law. U.S. energy independence solves energy shocks and is key to US hegemony Graeber, 13 (Daniel J., Senior Analyst at Oil Price; “U.S. Energy Independence Weakens its Power”- Oil Price; May 15, 2013, http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/U.S.-Energy-Independence-Weakens-its-Power.html) U.S. policymakers favouring the oil industry said global markets that OPEC members did in the 1970s. Oil reliance devastates hegemony Kagan 12 – Senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a columnist for the Washington Post, served in the U.S. State department, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and senior transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund ( Robert, 2012, “ The World America Made” book)bs
The low point came in 1979, when the Shah was overthrown, the radical Islamic revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini came to power, and fifty-two Americans were taken hostage and held for more than a year. The hostage crisis, as Yergin has observed, ‘transmitted a powerful message.” As Carter put it, “They have us by the balls.”116 U.S. power projection solves great power war – the alternative is violence and chaos Kagan, 12 (Robert – senior fellow of foreign policy at the Center on the United States and Europe, America Has Made the World Freer, Safer and Wealthier, p. http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2012/0314_us_power_kagan.aspx) We take a lot for granted about the way the world looks today -- the American order came into being. 1AC Contention 2 is Oil Spills Absent the plan, oil spills are inevitable Gonzalez and Iliff 12 (02/15/12 Editor at Mexico Oil and Gas, Review Mexico correspondent at Dow Jones Newswires, Correspondent at The Wall Street Journal, "Mexico Oil Watchdog Sounds Alarm" http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204136404577209494033278030.html) Mexico's oil regulator is sounding. Last month, U.S. Interior Department officials inspected a drilling rig scheduled to operate in Cuban waters to assuage concerns by Florida residents. The plan catalyzes necessary environmental protection in the Gulf – proactive approach key House of Representatives 13 (United States House of Representatives “U.S. – Mexico Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreement and Steps Needed for Implementation” April 25, 2013 http://docs.house.gov/meetings/II/II06/20130425/100755/HHRG-113-II06-Wstate-PascualA-20130425.pdf) We are pleased that the Agreement would advance safety and environmental ¶ protection in the Gulf and provide ¶ boundary with Mexico. This is a business friendly arrangement with strong safety ¶ and environmental payoffs.
The plan spills over the environmental protection in the entire Gulf of Mexico Velarde 12 – Attorney and Counselor-at-Law, admitted in Mexico in 1988, and in the State of New York in 1991. Mr. López-Velarde held various positions at Pemex during 1988-1993, including that of Financial Advisor to the Finance Department, In-House Counsel in Houston, Texas, In-House Counsel in New York, and Head of the International Legal Department of Pemex. He was honored with the “Most Distinguished Attorney Award” of Pemex for the period 1990-1991. (“US-Mexican treaty on Gulf of Mexico transboundary reservoirs”, International Law Office, March 19, 2012, http://www.internationallawoffice.com/newsletters/detail.aspx?g=b9326bf8-f27f-43ff-b45a-1b2b70ccb217) Pemex has indicated that it has no information to confirm the existence of a transboundary field. However, harmonise applicable standards only in respect of transboundary reservoirs. The plan is key—joint inspections and US expertise are unique Broder and Krauss 12 – John M. Broder reported from Washington, and Clifford Krauss from Houston, both for the New York Times. (“U.S. in Accord With Mexico on Drilling”, February 20, 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/21/world/americas/mexico-and-us-agree-on-oil-and-gas-development-in-gulf.html?_r=1andref=americas) WASHINGTON — The United States and Mexico House is moving closer to approving drilling in Alaskan Arctic waters, Mr. Obama was expected to argue that his policies have led to a surge in domestic production.
The Gulf is uniquely key to global biodiversity—habitats and currents Brenner 8 Jorge Brenner, March 14th, 2008, "Guarding the Gulf of Mexico's valuable resources" www.scidev.net/en/opinions/guarding-the-gulf-of-mexico-s-valuable-resources.html Rich in biodiversity and habitats¶ The Gulf of to regulate the climate of western Europe. Resiliency does not apply to Gulf There’s an invisible threshold Craig 11 (Robin Kundis Craig, Attorneys’ Title Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Environmental Programs, Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, Florida, 12/20/11 “Legal Remedies for Deep Marine Oil Spills and Long-Term Ecological Resilience: A Match Made in Hell” http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1906839) What would happen instead if simplistic of understandings of what our actions do to the ecosystems that we both impact and depend upon.185 Resiliency doesn’t apply to coast ecosystems—another spill will destroy marine biodiversity Craig 11 (Robin Kundis Craig, Attorneys’ Title Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Environmental Programs, Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, Florida, 12/20/11 “Legal Remedies for Deep Marine Oil Spills and Long-Term Ecological Resilience: A Match Made in Hell” http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1906839) Importantly, however, the second aspect of resilience theory acknowledges that ecosystems can to sustain these diverse, interdependent activities fisheries, energy, and tourism and the environment on which they depend for future generations.”168 Extinction Clark and Downes 6 Dana Clark, Center for International Environmental Law, and David Downes, US Interior Dept. Policy Analysis Senior Trade Advisor, 2006, What price biodiversity?, http://www.ciel.org/Publications/summary.html Biodiversity is the diversity of life on earth, on which mental or spiritual rejuvenation through contact with nature.
10/26/13
THA AFF
Tournament: St Marx Sophomore Hoe Down | Round: 2 | Opponent: Harker XX | Judge: 1AC Plan Plan: The United States federal government should ratify the Outer Continental Shelf Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreement 1AC Contention 1 is the Mexican Economy PEMEX is declining—fields are being used up–reforms for deep water drilling and private investment from TBA is needed to diversify Mexico’s portfolio Kerry et al, 12 (JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts, Chairman ¶ BARBARA BOXER, California RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana¶ ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey BOB CORKER, Tennessee¶ BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho¶ ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr., Pennsylvania MARCO RUBIO, Florida¶ JIM WEBB, Virginia JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma¶ JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire JIM DeMINT, South Carolina¶ CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia¶ RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming¶ TOM UDALL, New Mexico MIKE LEE, Utah¶ William C. Danvers, Staff Director ¶ Kenneth A. Myers, Jr., Republican Staff Director, “OIL, MEXICO, AND THE AGREEMENT”, December 2012, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CPRT-112SPRT77567/html/CPRT-112SPRT77567.htm) Progress, but can it last? poverty alleviation to the rule of law, let alone broader economic growth. PEMEX and oil decline will drive Mexico into a financial crisis Krauss and Malkin, 10 Clifford Kraus and Elisabeth Malkin, Krauss is a national business correspondent based in Houston covering energy for the NYT, Malkin covers environmental and energy news especially for Mexico for the NYT, March 8, 2010, “Mexico Oil Politics Keeps Riches Just Out of Reach”, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/09/business/global/09pemex.html?pagewanted=alland_r=0. VENUSTIANO CARRANZA, Mexico — To the Mexican people, one of the great achievements in their history was the day their president kicked out foreign oil companies in 1938. Thus, they celebrate March 18 as a civic holiday. Yet today, that 72-year-old act has put Mexico in a straitjacket, one that threatens “Without doubt, Pemex is in a key moment in its history,” he said. Current reforms are insufficient–private investment is needed Otillar, 13 Steven Otillar, has been representing clients in the development, finance, acquisition and divestiture of domestic and international energy projects for over 15 years, with a particular emphasis on upstream projects in emerging markets, May 1, 2013, “Outlook for Mexico's Oil Industry -- Opportunities and Obstacles”, http://cdn.akingump.com/images/content/2/3/v2/23206/Akin-Otillar.pdf. The Need for Reform Production from number, type and complexity of projects being pursued in the aggregate. THA creates private investment and creates momentum for energy reform Kerry et al, 12 (JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts, Chairman ¶ BARBARA BOXER, California RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana¶ ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey BOB CORKER, Tennessee¶ BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho¶ ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr., Pennsylvania MARCO RUBIO, Florida¶ JIM WEBB, Virginia JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma¶ JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire JIM DeMINT, South Carolina¶ CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia¶ RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming¶ TOM UDALL, New Mexico MIKE LEE, Utah¶ William C. Danvers, Staff Director ¶ Kenneth A. Myers, Jr., Republican Staff Director, “OIL, MEXICO, AND THE AGREEMENT”, December 2012, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CPRT-112SPRT77567/html/CPRT-112SPRT77567.htm) The TBA further contains requirements of data sharing and notification of likely reserves between the United States and Mexico, TBA could help prompt broader domestic energy reform in Mexico. THA solves Mexican growth and eliminate US foreign oil dependence Kerry et al, 12 (JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts, Chairman ¶ BARBARA BOXER, California RICHARD G. LUGAR, Indiana¶ ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey BOB CORKER, Tennessee¶ BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho¶ ROBERT P. CASEY, Jr., Pennsylvania MARCO RUBIO, Florida¶ JIM WEBB, Virginia JAMES M. INHOFE, Oklahoma¶ JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire JIM DeMINT, South Carolina¶ CHRISTOPHER A. COONS, Delaware JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia¶ RICHARD J. DURBIN, Illinois JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming¶ TOM UDALL, New Mexico MIKE LEE, Utah¶ William C. Danvers, Staff Director ¶ Kenneth A. Myers, Jr., Republican Staff Director, “OIL, MEXICO, AND THE AGREEMENT”, December 2012, http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CPRT-112SPRT77567/html/CPRT-112SPRT77567.htm) The centerpiece of the TBA is the mandate to establish support U.S. energy security Mexico is key to the US economy Olson 9 (Eric L., M.A., International Affairs, American University; B.A., History and Secondary Education, Trinity College, Associate Director of the Latin American Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, as a Senior Specialist in the Department for Promotion of Good Governance at the Organization of American States, January 2009, http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/The20U.S.20and20Mexico.20Towards20a20Strategic20Partnership.pdf) Mexico also remains vital for the U.S. economy, and, above ¶ all, places an emphasis on improving the well-being ¶ of average citizens in both countries. Econ decline causes war ROYAL 10 Director of Cooperative Threat Reduction at the U.S. Department of Defense Jedediah Royal, 2010, Economic Integration, Economic Signaling and the Problem of Economic Crises, in Economics of War and Peace: Economic, Legal and Political Perspectives, ed. Goldsmith and Brauer, p. 213-215 Less intuitive is how periods of economic decline may he economic-security debate and deserves more attention. Mexican economic decline causes Mexican collapse and immigration Barnes, 11 Joe Barnes, the Bonner Means Baker Fellow at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy, written extensively on international economics, with a focus on the geopolitics of energy, April 29, 2011, “The Future of Oil in Mexico”, http://bakerinstitute.org/publications/EF-pub-BarnesBilateral-04292011.pdf. In summary. the slow decline of Mexican oil production, Pemex's development into something like Norway's Statol would mark an important improvement.36 Mexican collapse causes a flood of refugees and terrorism. Brown, 9 Michael, Undersecretary of Emergency Preparedness and Response in the Department of Homeland Security, “Border Control: Collapse of Mexico Is A Homeland Security and National Security Issue,” 1/14, http://michaelbrowntoday.com/journal/2009/1/15/border-control-collapse-of-mexico-is-a-homeland-security-nat.html By failing to secure the borders and control immigration, in wait to attack at an appropriately vulnerable time. Nuclear terrorism causes extinction Ayson, 10 Professor of Strategic Studies and Director of the Centre for Strategic Studies: New Zealand at the Victoria University of Wellington (Robert, July. “After a Terrorist Nuclear Attack: Envisaging Catalytic Effects.” Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, Vol. 33, Issue 7. InformaWorld.) But these two nuclear worlds—a non-state actor nuclear attack and a catastrophic interstate nuclear exchange—are not necessarily separable. It is just possible that some sort of terrorist attack, and especially an act of pressure on them, what conclusions might it then draw about their culpability US-Mexican border terrorism results in bioterror attacks Timmerman, 10 Ken, Newsmax correspondent, “FBI Director Mueller: Al-Qaida Still Wants Nuclear Bomb,” 3/18, http://newsmax.com/Newsfront/mueller-fbi-alqaida-nuclear/2010/03/18/id/353169 FBI Director Robert Mueller warned Congress on Americans within a single hour if it is properly spread in population centers there,” al-Nasifi said. Bioterror leads to extinction Sandberg, 8 Anders, is a James Martin Research Fellow at the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University; Jason G. Matheny, PhD candidate in Health Policy and Management at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and special consultant to the Center for Biosecurity at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; Milan M. ?irkovi?, senior research associate at the Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade and assistant professor of physics at the University of Novi Sad in Serbia and Montenegro, 9/8/8, “How can we reduce the risk of human extinction?,” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists,http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/features/how-can-we-reduce-the-risk-of-human-extinction The risks from anthropogenic hazards appear at present larger than those from natural ones. Although great progress has been made in reducing the number of nuclear weapons in the world, humanity is rivaling Moore's Law. U.S. energy independence solves energy shocks and is key to US hegemony Graeber, 13 (Daniel J., Senior Analyst at Oil Price; “U.S. Energy Independence Weakens its Power”- Oil Price; May 15, 2013, http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/U.S.-Energy-Independence-Weakens-its-Power.html) U.S. policymakers favouring the oil industry said global markets that OPEC members did in the 1970s. Oil reliance devastates hegemony Kagan 12 – Senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a columnist for the Washington Post, served in the U.S. State department, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and senior transatlantic fellow at the German Marshall Fund ( Robert, 2012, “ The World America Made” book)bs
The low point came in 1979, when the Shah was overthrown, the radical Islamic revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini came to power, and fifty-two Americans were taken hostage and held for more than a year. The hostage crisis, as Yergin has observed, ‘transmitted a powerful message.” As Carter put it, “They have us by the balls.”116 U.S. power projection solves great power war – the alternative is violence and chaos Kagan, 12 (Robert – senior fellow of foreign policy at the Center on the United States and Europe, America Has Made the World Freer, Safer and Wealthier, p. http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2012/0314_us_power_kagan.aspx) We take a lot for granted about the way the world looks today -- the American order came into being. 1AC Contention 2 is Oil Spills Absent the plan, oil spills are inevitable Gonzalez and Iliff 12 (02/15/12 Editor at Mexico Oil and Gas, Review Mexico correspondent at Dow Jones Newswires, Correspondent at The Wall Street Journal, "Mexico Oil Watchdog Sounds Alarm" http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204136404577209494033278030.html) Mexico's oil regulator is sounding. Last month, U.S. Interior Department officials inspected a drilling rig scheduled to operate in Cuban waters to assuage concerns by Florida residents. The plan catalyzes necessary environmental protection in the Gulf – proactive approach key House of Representatives 13 (United States House of Representatives “U.S. – Mexico Transboundary Hydrocarbon Agreement and Steps Needed for Implementation” April 25, 2013 http://docs.house.gov/meetings/II/II06/20130425/100755/HHRG-113-II06-Wstate-PascualA-20130425.pdf) We are pleased that the Agreement would advance safety and environmental ¶ protection in the Gulf and provide ¶ boundary with Mexico. This is a business friendly arrangement with strong safety ¶ and environmental payoffs.
The plan spills over the environmental protection in the entire Gulf of Mexico Velarde 12 – Attorney and Counselor-at-Law, admitted in Mexico in 1988, and in the State of New York in 1991. Mr. López-Velarde held various positions at Pemex during 1988-1993, including that of Financial Advisor to the Finance Department, In-House Counsel in Houston, Texas, In-House Counsel in New York, and Head of the International Legal Department of Pemex. He was honored with the “Most Distinguished Attorney Award” of Pemex for the period 1990-1991. (“US-Mexican treaty on Gulf of Mexico transboundary reservoirs”, International Law Office, March 19, 2012, http://www.internationallawoffice.com/newsletters/detail.aspx?g=b9326bf8-f27f-43ff-b45a-1b2b70ccb217) Pemex has indicated that it has no information to confirm the existence of a transboundary field. However, harmonise applicable standards only in respect of transboundary reservoirs. The plan is key—joint inspections and US expertise are unique Broder and Krauss 12 – John M. Broder reported from Washington, and Clifford Krauss from Houston, both for the New York Times. (“U.S. in Accord With Mexico on Drilling”, February 20, 2012, http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/21/world/americas/mexico-and-us-agree-on-oil-and-gas-development-in-gulf.html?_r=1andref=americas) WASHINGTON — The United States and Mexico House is moving closer to approving drilling in Alaskan Arctic waters, Mr. Obama was expected to argue that his policies have led to a surge in domestic production.
The Gulf is uniquely key to global biodiversity—habitats and currents Brenner 8 Jorge Brenner, March 14th, 2008, "Guarding the Gulf of Mexico's valuable resources" www.scidev.net/en/opinions/guarding-the-gulf-of-mexico-s-valuable-resources.html Rich in biodiversity and habitats¶ The Gulf of to regulate the climate of western Europe. Resiliency does not apply to Gulf There’s an invisible threshold Craig 11 (Robin Kundis Craig, Attorneys’ Title Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Environmental Programs, Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, Florida, 12/20/11 “Legal Remedies for Deep Marine Oil Spills and Long-Term Ecological Resilience: A Match Made in Hell” http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1906839) What would happen instead if simplistic of understandings of what our actions do to the ecosystems that we both impact and depend upon.185 Resiliency doesn’t apply to coast ecosystems—another spill will destroy marine biodiversity Craig 11 (Robin Kundis Craig, Attorneys’ Title Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Environmental Programs, Florida State University College of Law, Tallahassee, Florida, 12/20/11 “Legal Remedies for Deep Marine Oil Spills and Long-Term Ecological Resilience: A Match Made in Hell” http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1906839) Importantly, however, the second aspect of resilience theory acknowledges that ecosystems can to sustain these diverse, interdependent activities fisheries, energy, and tourism and the environment on which they depend for future generations.”168 Extinction Clark and Downes 6 Dana Clark, Center for International Environmental Law, and David Downes, US Interior Dept. Policy Analysis Senior Trade Advisor, 2006, What price biodiversity?, http://www.ciel.org/Publications/summary.html Biodiversity is the diversity of life on earth, on which mental or spiritual rejuvenation through contact with nature.