THE UNITED STATES	OF AMERICA:  INTERNATIONAL OUTLAW

	  On June 27, 1986, the	International Court of Justice,	under the
     auspices of the United Nations, handed down a decision that found the
     United States in violation	of international law.  The decision called
     for the United States to cease its	international illegal activities
     against Nicaragua.	The Court's decision, 12-3, held that the U.S.
     support of	the contras was	illegal. A further decision, 14-1, held
     that U.S. mining of Nicaragua's harbors and distribution of a CIA
     assassination manual also violated	international law.
	  In 1987, while President Reagan was defending	his contra policy,
     while Oliver North	was telling contra stories to Congress,	and while
     Secretary of State	George Schultz was asking Congress for $270 million
     in	contra aid, the	U.S. media failed to inform the	American public
     that the Reagan administration's efforts were illegal.
	 In fact, the International Court of Justice decision against the
     U.S. was, for all intents and purposes, a non-event in the	U.S. media
     in	1987.
	  This non-event status	was never more evident that in the media's
     failure to	cover the November 12, 1987, U.N. General Assembly vote,
     94-2, that	called for "full and immediate compliance" with	the World
     Court's June 1986 decision. In particular, the General Assembly called
     on	the U.S. to cease funding its military activities against
     Nicaragua.
	  The question of whether the U.S. government rejects international
     adjudication as having a part in aiding peace, or whether the rule	of
     international law is valid, void, or only reserved	for minor matters
     was never really explored by the U.S. media in light of the World
     Court and General Asesembly decisions in the United Nations.
	  The American public has been kept ignorant of	this international
     issue and its implications	on U.S.	policy toward Nicaragua	largely
     because of	media indifference.

	  SOURCES: HUMAN RIGHTS, American Bar Association Press, Winter
     1987/88, "The World Court:	Let's Not Forget This Anniversary,"  by
     Howard N. Meyer; ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 8/7/86, "In Contempt of
     Court," (op/ed article), by Richard B. Bilder.