One reason we continue to have these problems in public discourse (why the earlier tweet thread) is because media figures, U.S. politicians and even senior officials have been very sloppy with language. 1/
https://twitter.com/FPRI_Orbis/status/1502344272762310661
"Ally" has a very defined, specific meaning in international affairs. It is not just a synonym for friend or partner. It indicates that there are formal obligations between those countries (we sometimes stress this further by talking about "treaty allies.") 2/
Treaty, in the U.S. context of Article 6 of the Constitution, reflects a formal agreement that has been signed by the President (or a plenipotentiary) and ratified by the Senate. Treaties thus acquire status equivalent to the Constitution. 3/
Fun fact: Treaties cannot be used as backdoor ways to amend the Constitution. 3a/ law.justia.com/constitution/u…
Below a treaty is an executive agreement which the Executive Branch can enter given powers already delegated to it by law and statute. Binding on the executive branch until and unless another president leaves it (e.g. JCPOA with Iran). 4/
I understand that politicians like the flourish of calling a country an "ally" and to intimate that an understanding or memorandum is a "treaty." Americans often have an attitude of take us seriously, not literally. 5/
During the impeachment, to strengthen the case about the seriousness and import of the charges, Ukraine's status was rhetorically elevated to "an ally" (because betraying a partner doesn't carry the same import). 6/
Ukrainians, after hearing for years that their country was an "ally" of the United States, understandably now want to know why their ally is leaving them in the lurch and why the "treaty" in Budapest isn't being enforced. 7/
Even to this day, Ukraine does not have ally status. Colombia got it yesterday (although without any binding security guarantees). But understandable why the public thinks NATO is failing its duty to Ukraine, because they also hear that Ukraine is an "ally." 8/
Georgia went through this as well right up to 2008. By the way, if you want to change this status, you can petition your members of Congress to support a non-binding resolution to ask the President to confer non-NATO ally status, or ... 9/
to ask for the start of treaty negotiations for a bilateral security agreement. 10/
Update: per @business, @POTUS has made this distinction clear: "President Joe Biden said he would defend NATO to the point of World War III, but that he won’t risk touching off a wider conflict by fighting Russia in Ukraine and ruled out establishing a no-fly zone. "
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