the US (and other countries) seem reluctant in general to make long-lasting treaties
What makes you say that?
I agree to some extent about Trump’s treatment of agreements damaging US credibility, but even then, I’m not sure if the US explicitly violated any treaties under Trump (not NAFTA, which was replaced by agreement of all parties, or the TPP, which the US never ratified. Perhaps the Iran nuclear deal? I’m not clear on what the legal status of the US’s withdrawl was).
The mechanism to make these kinds of promises is the desire of people with influence over a country’s decisions to maintain that country’s credibility. (This is broader than just people who have final say over a decision, since other political actors can often exert pressure on them). This isn’t an airtight mechanism, sure, but it works to some extent. If you’re trying to imply that it’s on no firmer ground than the promises made by US negotiators to Gorbechev in 1990, then that’s not true at all. In order for a country to be swayed at all by promises previous leaders have made, a necessary prerequisite is for its current leaders to have some way to be aware that previous promises have been made. A private conversation between past leaders, with a transcript that’s classified at the time decisions violating promises made in said conversation are made, doesn’t cut it.
What makes you say that?
I agree to some extent about Trump’s treatment of agreements damaging US credibility, but even then, I’m not sure if the US explicitly violated any treaties under Trump (not NAFTA, which was replaced by agreement of all parties, or the TPP, which the US never ratified. Perhaps the Iran nuclear deal? I’m not clear on what the legal status of the US’s withdrawl was).
The mechanism to make these kinds of promises is the desire of people with influence over a country’s decisions to maintain that country’s credibility. (This is broader than just people who have final say over a decision, since other political actors can often exert pressure on them). This isn’t an airtight mechanism, sure, but it works to some extent. If you’re trying to imply that it’s on no firmer ground than the promises made by US negotiators to Gorbechev in 1990, then that’s not true at all. In order for a country to be swayed at all by promises previous leaders have made, a necessary prerequisite is for its current leaders to have some way to be aware that previous promises have been made. A private conversation between past leaders, with a transcript that’s classified at the time decisions violating promises made in said conversation are made, doesn’t cut it.