Platt Amendment: What's Up With the Closing Lines?

    Platt Amendment: What's Up With the Closing Lines?

      VIII. That by way of further assurance the government of Cuba will embody the foregoing provisions in a permanent treaty with the United States.

      The final line in the Platt Amendment is both a reminder and a warning. Congress doesn't write a conclusion that neatly sums up everything it just said; instead it simply ends by saying, "Got it? You'd better."

      Not literally, of course. The final line is labeled Roman numeral VIII, meaning it's the last rule or regulation listed in the document. It's not a new rule though—it basically says, "Cuba must agree to these rules that the U.S. has set."

      No if's, and's, or but's about it.