US to be immune from International Criminal Court

Saturday July 13, 2002 12:49

by clinton

A deal has been struck whereby the US will be immune from prosecution for any war crime for at least a year. The US stance is basically an admission that they carry out war crimes around the world. The claim that there will be "serious consequences" if an US citizen is hauled up before the court just shows what a joke the whole thing is.

The UN Security Council voted unanimously to exempt American peacekeepers from prosecution by the new global war crimes court for a year, a deal that ends US threats to UN missions around the world.

After a firestorm of protests against the Bush administration's stance, the 15-member council last night approved a revised resolution on the International Criminal Court following agreement from Mexico, the last hold out.

"It offers us a degree of protection for the coming year," US Ambassador John Negroponte said after the vote. But he warned countries - in effect Washington's closest allies - they could expect "serious consequences" if any American were ever detained by the court.

The council's vote culminated weeks of bitterness between the United States and its allies. But many supporters of the court, including UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, were satisfied the resolution did not violate a treaty setting up the tribunal, considered a landmark in international law.

The resolution asks the tribunal to allow a 12-month grace period before investigating or prosecuting UN peacekeepers from countries that do not support the court "if a case arises" and "unless the Security Council decides otherwise."

It expresses the council's intention to renew the resolution in a year but does not commit it to do so, as Washington had wanted in its search for cast-iron guarantees.

Following fierce objections from allies that included the 15 European Union members, Canada, Mexico and others, the United States backed away from seeking permanent immunity for its soldiers and civilians.

The International Criminal Court was set up to try individuals for the world's most heinous atrocities: genocide, war crimes and gross human rights abuses. It is a belated effort to fulfill the promise of the Nuremberg trials 56 years ago in which Nazi leaders were prosecuted for new categories of human rights and war crimes

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US Arrogance

by Paul Kinsella - Various

Sun Jul 14, 2002 22:27

paulkinsella53 at yahoo dot com

53 Lorcan Grove, Santry, Dublin 9, Eire

087-9748511

Just shows us where we really rate in the scheme of things. There was even talk that if the US hadn't have got this immunity from prosecution that they were prepared if necessary to invade the Netherlands to free any Americans accused of war crimes at The Hague!

STOP THE U$ EMPIRE

by a prisoner

Tue Jul 16, 2002 01:40

This is a message from behind enemy lines in the United $tates of Amerikkka.

Unite behind the EU to oppose U$ militarism. The U$ will go to the thermonuclear option if they feel pressed.

There is no significant opposition in the general population at the present time. The vast Amerikkan middle class, in alliance with their imperialist rulers, will defend their "standard of living" with nukes and genocide. No matter how self-defeating that seems.

Now is the time to develop an intelligent and determined ANTI-AMERIKANISM.

STOP THE USE OF YOUR SOVEREIGN TERRITORY BY THE U$ MILITARY. You could become party to war crimes.

Yeah, Right!

by WebSurfer

Tue Jul 16, 2002 08:49

The EU is in on it.

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US to be immune from International Criminal Court

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