International Criminal Court: A Watershed in International Relations
Abstract
The July 1 2002 ratification of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is a significant and far- reaching accomplishment in the changing architecture of the international legal system. The Statute gives the "permanent" court the power to prosecute individuals for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community. Although the United States played a major role in the court's development, the U.S. "officially" withdrew from the ICC in July 2002 citing jurisdiction and treaty law concerns and unacceptable risk to U.S. military personnel. The U.S. is negotiating bilateral agreements with individual countries and using its weight in the UN Security Council to influence the ICC in order to protect military personnel and high-ranking government officials from prosecution by the court. Both of these actions undermine the spirit of the ICC. The American decision not to support the court is an important watershed in international relations. This paper will address the origins of the International Criminal Court, discuss how the ICC works, highlight U.S. objections to the statute, and analyze U.S. objections.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 07, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA416339
Entities
People
- Billy J. Buckner
Organizations
- United States Army War College