Democratic Presidential Candidate John Edwards announced a plan for an international organization which would pool resources and information in the worldwide war on terrorism. He’s calling it the “Counterterrorism and Intelligence Treaty Organization” or CITO.
In theory, such international efforts ought to be handled in already existing organizations like the United Nations, perhaps. In reality, there is no venue where serious sharing of information and resources is happening to battle extremists and terrorism. Perhaps such an organization as CITO would fill the gap, who knows?
Certainly, as Edwards pointed out, the Bush Administration’s efforts against terrorism make many of us uncomfortable with their cavalier attitude toward some of our cherished American freedoms. I, for one, never liked the idea of anyone snooping through my library card records. Nope, I don’t checkout any thing subversive, nothing pornographic, but I really can’t see that such efforts would have much to do with the war on terrorism.
My biggest problem with CITO is this: I haven’t yet met an international organization that really works in the long run. Many things the UN does are very worthwhile, especially their humanitarian work. But nobody gives the UN high marks for military effectiveness, nor for any efforts against terrorists or extremists.
Perhaps CITO would work better. At least it’s worth thinking about.
Ah, well, what do I know? I’m just a guy who reads the papers.
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