Plaintiffs' lawyers see the state courts as a friendly forum, and defense lawyers have learned from experience that it is often better to settle personal injury cases than to take their chances before a jury.
And another respected commentator on security affairs, Dr Reuvain Pedhazur, wrote that since the establishment of the state the political leadership had never established a serious alternative to the Israeli defense forces (IDF) policy forums when it comes to decision-making about war and peace.
A warning was implicit that he could not use his defense case as a political forum or to hold the court captive.
As a result, his courtroom in downtown Houston became a forum Monday for defense lawyers to present a broad indictment of problems in the criminal justice system that they say lead to wrongful convictions.
Although North Korea was the "hot topic" at the conference, as Mr. Gates put it, the defense secretary also used the forum to appeal to Asian allies for help, both financial and military, with the war in Afghanistan.
At a forum of Asian defense ministers here, Mr. Gates was emphatic in calling on all countries that share the South China Sea to renounce threats or coercion in resolving their competing claims of sovereignty over transit lanes, fishing rights, territory and undersea resources.
Activities will be carried out within the national and international legal framework in defense of human rights, including forums, diploma programmes, seminars and courses in order to promote a dialogue of ideas and reflections on the theme.
On Thursday, Israel's defense minister, Ehud Barak, told a security forum that time is running out for halting Iran's nuclear advance.
