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There is a serious question whether people in the United States get adequate news to permit them to make intelligent decisions on international issues. In the press of the Northwest in the years following the Vietnam War there was probably less foreign news available than in the isolationist thirties. Since the end of 1979 the Iranian hostage issue and Afghanistan have dominated the national news, but there still is a dearth of world news not involving drama and confrontation. The institution of a free press is above challenge, but our media could be improved by constructive criticisms and pressures. Other measures to improve the situation include symposiums and commentary on world issues suitable for the local media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the effectiveness of United Nations' (UN) action against international terrorism. Although the UN resolutions against international terrorism do not have the force of a convention, the resolutions have strengthened international cooperation against all forms of terrorism. A major gap in international law is the fact that international terrorist acts not involving aircraft, diplomatic persons, nuclear terrorism, or hostages are still not covered by a UN convention requiring prosecution or extradition, although they are covered by the relatively weak UN resolution.

Nine years after the Munich Massacre of 11 Israeli athletes and after a request by the Secretary-General for the General Assembly to act on the problem, the General Assembly reached a general consensus on a terrorism resolution. The resolution endorses a UN committee's recommendations to refrain from assisting terrorism in any way and to cooperate in the final elimination of terrorism. Negotiation of the resolution was difficult because third world countries did not want to weaken opposition to "colonial, racist, and alien regimes," and they have held back from approving an international convention that would require trying or extraditing those accused of terrorist crimes. Problems of constitutional protection to individuals in democracies and of political asylum also stand in the way of an overall convention. Nevertheless, the General Assembly resolution has been useful in promoting cooperation among states to eliminate terrorism and in encouraging support for conventions against specific types of terrorism such as hijacking, taking of hostages, attacking diplomatic targets, and supporting nuclear terrorism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]