Page 83 - NAVAL SCIENCE 3 TEXTBOOK

88 NAVAL KNOWLEDGE

Military and Naval Attaches
According to international law, military and naval attaches are
regarded as high-ranking members of the ambassador's official
staff. They cnjoy the same diplomatic immunities and protec-
tion as the ambnssador. These include freedom to cOlllmunicate
with the home government; safety and security of self, staff, and
family; inviolability of home and embassy; and certain jurisdic-
tional imlllunities such as freedom from criminal and civil laws.
However, the ambassador and each person on the stair mllst nct
in a manner befitting their rank and position, conforming to high
standards or behavior. If a diplomat repeatedl), breaks locallall's,
the host government may declare him or her perso/w /101/ gmtfl
(not ncceptable) and demand his or her removnl.
Nnvnl and military attaches of the United States are selected
by their services and assigned by the Department of Defense to
American legations or embassies overseas. The senior attache,
regardless of service. is called the defense i.1tIi.1Chc. and others arc
A U.S. Navy attache with the staff of the U.S. embassy in Rangoon,
Ci.llled assistant defense attaches. The naval nttache has tradition- BUrma (now Yangon, Myanmar), observes representatives of the crew
<Illy been termed the AI.USNA, an acronym meaning American of a visiting destroyer as they ring the giant bell of the Shwedagon
Pagoda, a gesture of respect to the host nation,
Legation, United States Nm'i.ll Attache. Prior to their appointment.
their names may be submitted to the foreign state for approval
if that state so requires. This is because military and naval atta- will inevitably continue to arise. The effectivcness of the United
ches carry out important intelligence fUIlctioIls, and the receiving Nations must be improved to assist in this effort. Nuclear test ban
state has a right to guard its own security interests. In practice fcw and nuclear weapons nonproliferation treaties must continue in
states insist on advance notification unless it is a matter of reciproc- effect to prevent the spread of radioactive byproducls throughout
ity (similar actions by both parties). The United States, for exam- the world, aftecting the air we brcOlthc and the food we eat.
ple, does not require advance approval of military attaches sent to Cooperation among nations must also playa role in modern
\Vashingtonunlcss the other state requires prior approval. scientific endeavors beyond the Enrth, in the area of space eXpIOf<l-
tioIl. A space treaty Wi.1S signed in 1967 providing lor the exploratioIl
of outer space lor the benefit of all countries and agreeing that no
International Problems and
nations would claim sovereignty over celestial bodies. An Astronaut
International Law
Rescue and Rehlfll Agreement has been signed thOlt provides tor
Intern;Jtional law is the set of rules that nations usc to maintain assistance to astronnuts in distress and safe return \\'hen rescued.
and conduct their rel;Jtions with other cOlilltries ill the world, The Another frontier that we tlre beginning to explore and use is the
U.s. government looks to international law for the solution of deep ocean floor. SeYerallaw of the sea conventions have been held
many of the basic problems that face the world. to try to reach agreement on territorial limits, exploitation of the sea
It has been through the collective action of many countries bottom, research and exploration of the continental shelves, ocean
that the world has avoided a third major world war thus far. A long fishing, and I1alltic.lI rules of the road. The worldwide exchange of
period of vigilance and efiort by international groups such as the meteorological information has helped make us better prepared to
North Atlantic 'Ih:aty Organization (NATO) was required before cope with the violence of storms that cnre nothing nboLlt interna-
East-\Vest tensions finally subsided. Collective enOrlS slIch as the tional boundaries. ~'lnn)' world leaders have declared that interna-
Organization of American Stntes (OAS) and variolls UN agencies tional agreements on the la\\' of the sea contillue to be an important
will likely have to piny n Illnjor role if tensions behvcell the devel- tnsk before us at the present time. tor it is there that we will probiJ-
oped nJld underdeveloped nntions are to continue to be resolved ill bl)' go bdore we make widespread explorations into space.
the future. Only if the nntians of the world have diplomatic and lvluch on the international scene has happened in the area of
commercial relationships is there a chance for world peace, and sateUite communications and television. \Vithin the lifetimes of
international law provides the rules for such dialogue. cadets rending this book, global communications have become
\Vith modern technolog}' alTecting the entire environment commonplace. On worldwide TV neh\'orks like ESPN and CNN
on planet Earth, there mllst be international organizations and we can view major sporting events, the installation of a new pope,
associntions to work together to solve the complex problems that the marriage of a crown prince, or a sllmmit conference between