If the world were to accept the U.S. argument, then what
would happen if U.S. citizens were guilty of or suspected
of having committed genocide or other crimes against
humanity? Would the U.S. be the sole arbiter in such a
situation? Isn't somebody too big for his breaches
already?
- Wilmot
On Wed, 2 Jul 2003 15:25:49 -0500
Vera Crowell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>Date: Wed, 02 Jul 2003 16:24:31 -0400 (EDT)
>>From: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: NYTimes.com Article: U.S. Suspends Aid to 35
>>Countries Over New
>> International Court
>>Sender: [log in to unmask]
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Reply-to: [log in to unmask]
>>Original-recipient: rfc822;[log in to unmask]
>>
>>This article from NYTimes.com
>>has been sent to you by [log in to unmask]
>>
>>
>>/-------------------- advertisement
>>-----------------------\
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>>
>>U.S. Suspends Aid to 35 Countries Over New International
>>Court
>>
>>July 2, 2003
>> By ELIZABETH BECKER
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>WASHINGTON, July 1 - The Bush administration suspended
>>all
>>American military assistance to 35 countries today
>>because
>>they refused to pledge to give American citizens immunity
>>before the International Criminal Court.
>>
>>The administration warned last year that under a
>>provision
>>of the new American antiterrorism law, any country that
>>became a member of the new court but failed to give
>>exemptions to Americans serving within its borders would
>>lose such aid.
>>
>>That includes training programs as well as financing of
>>weapons and equipment purchases.
>>
>>Many of the countries affected, like Colombia and
>>Ecuador,
>>are considered critical to the administration's efforts
>>to
>>bring stability to the Western Hemisphere. Others, like
>>Croatia, are preparing to join NATO and were counting on
>>American help to modernize their armed forces.
>>
>>Officials said that in all, $47.6 million in aid and
>>$613,000 in military education programs would be lost to
>>the 35 countries.
>>
>>The new court is the world's first permanent forum for
>>putting on trial people charged with genocide and other
>>crimes against humanity. The administration strongly
>>opposes it on the ground that Americans could be
>>subjected
>>to politically motivated prosecutions.
>>
>>"There should be no misunderstanding, that the issue of
>>protecting U.S. persons from the International Criminal
>>Court will be a significant and pressing matter in our
>>relations with every state," Ari Fleischer, the White
>>House
>>spokesman, said today.
>>
>>President Bush signed a waiver exempting 22 countries
>>because they had signed but not yet ratified immunity
>>agreements. That list includes Afghanistan, Sierra Leone
>>and Nigeria.
>>
>>Full members of NATO, and other major allies - including
>>Israel, Jordan, Egypt, Japan and South Korea - are not
>>part
>>of the military assistance prohibition.
>>
>>Prince Zeid Raad al-Hussein of Jordan, the president of
>>the
>>assembly of nations that signed the treaty establishing
>>the
>>court, said 90 countries had become members despite
>>Washington's opposition.
>>
>>"The simple conclusion is that the American campaign has
>>not had a negative effect on the establishment of this
>>court," said the prince, who is his country's ambassador
>>to
>>the United Nations. "We have a court in place, a very
>>fine
>>panel of judges, a prosecutor, and we should be fully
>>running by the end of the year."
>>
>>The original provision passed by Congress in the
>>antiterrorism law emphasized American service members,
>>but
>>the administration has interpreted it to include all
>>citizens of the United States.
>>
>>Lincoln P. Bloomfield Jr., the assistant secretary for
>>political military affairs, said the administration had
>>no
>>intention of undermining the court.
>>
>>Instead, he said, the administration wants to preserve
>>its
>>right to remain outside its purview, especially with a
>>rise
>>in the number of attempts to charge American officials
>>with
>>war crimes.
>>
>>"Our opposition is not meant to be a lack of respect for
>>the jurists involved in the I.C.C.," Mr. Bloomfield said.
>>"It is concern that there could be politically motivated
>>charges against American citizens. Several standing
>>officials have been under war crimes indictment in
>>Belgium
>>this year for their roles in the 1991 gulf war."
>>
>>He said those included Vice President Dick Cheney and
>>Secretary of State Colin L. Powell.
>>
>>Supporters of the court dismissed that argument, saying
>>the
>>Belgian court is a national body very different rules
>>from
>>those of the new international court, which has
>>safeguards
>>that would help protect American officials.
>>
>>Richard Dicker, a director of Human Rights Watch in New
>>York, which has lobbied for the court's creation, said
>>the
>>suspension of military aid today amounted to a defeat for
>>the current campaign against the court.
>>
>>"This policy is creating a dilemma where the
>>administration
>>has to chose between sound military cooperation with
>>democratic nations and this campaign of ideology against
>>the international criminal court," he said. "I've never
>>seen a sanctions regime aimed at countries that believe
>>in
>>the rule of law rather than ones that commit human rights
>>abuses."
>>
>>Senior administration officials said the announcement
>>should not be seen as a permanent freeze on all military
>>aid to the 35 countries.
>>
>>The aid can be resumed if they sign the exemption
>>agreement, or the president can issue waivers at any time
>>if he believes that by failing to help a foreign
>>government
>>face an emergency, the country's national security would
>>be
>>put at risk.
>>
>>That was little comfort to the nations that lost military
>>assistance today. Richard A. Boucher, the State
>>Department
>>spokesman, said the July 1 cutoff would have differing
>>impacts on the countries.
>>
>>"There may be places where, you know, most of the money
>>has
>>been spent," he said. "There may be places where most of
>>the money has not be spent."
>>
>>One example he cited was Colombia. Of the more than $100
>>million that the United States was to give to Colombia
>>this
>>fiscal year in military assistance, only $5 million will
>>be
>>suspended.
>>
>>"As of today we're suspending the assistance and the
>>provision of defense articles to countries that failed to
>>receive waivers," said Maj. Michael Shavers, a Defense
>>Department spokesman."I can't tell you which countries
>>will
>>be affected, because we don't have the list yet."
>>
>>Among those in limbo could be foreign officers and
>>students
>>preparing to receive professional military training here,
>>as well as governments that were relying on the United
>>States to finance the purchase of American weapons and
>>services.
>>
>>http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/02/international/02COUR.html?ex=1058177471&ei=1&en=ef76e4fc8c4d033e
>>
>>
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>
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