WikiLeaks cables lay bare US hostility to international criminal court

[kpete]

Source: Guardian UK

WikiLeaks cables lay bare US hostility to international criminal court

US embassy dispatches reveal American preoccupation with discerning court's views on Iraq

The international criminal court has proved one of the most controversial international institutions since its creation in 2002, drawing fire from some for its exclusive focus on Africa, and accused by others of pursuing the policy objectives of America and Europe.

But America has also been hostile to the court, refusing to join it for fear its own citizens could be put on trial for war crimes. The cables reveal American preoccupation with the personalities in the court and an attempt to discern their views on Iraq from the outset.

One cable, sent in July 2003, three months after Luis Moreno-Ocampo was elected as chief prosecutor, offered an "early glimpse" into his stance and reveals American unease about the possibility that he could pursue cases over British actions in Iraq.

"Less clear are (Ocampo's) views on Iraq," the cable states. "Ocampo has said that he was looking at the actions of British forces in Iraq -- which … led a British ICTY prosecutor nearly to fall off his chair."


Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/law/2010/dec/17/wikileaks-us-international-criminal-court?intcmp=239

[aquart]

1. Well, yeah. We have a few nervous war criminals.

[chill_wind]

2. K & R. n/t

[EFerrari]

3. Kick to mark

[glinda]

4. Well there you have it in the last paragraph of the article.

Assange should not come here. He will receive no justice here.

[struggle4progress]

5. We've known for a decade or more that American rightwingers opposed the ICC

George Bush unsigned the treaty in 2002, so it's not surprising that his ambassadors were sending talking-points against the treaty in 2003 and afterwards

Monday, 6 May, 2002, 21:53 GMT 22:53 UK
US renounces world court treaty
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/1970312.stm

[Solly Mack]

6. K&R

[PufPuf23]

7. The USA should play by the same rules as other nations.

The USA had more to do with and benefited more than any other nation under the UN and post WWII standards such as the Nurenberg trials and Bretton Woods.

One should google Brit SAS and about the covert agents (planting IEDs) arrested by Iraqui police in Basra.

I do not want the USA to be a hypocrite to international norms nor to be a bully rather than a source of enlightenment.

This is my choice.