2-15-01: Bush* refuses to support International Criminal Court

[Q]

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) 2/15/01

- U.S. President George W. Bush will not send to the Senate for ratification a treaty creating the world's first global criminal court that was signed by his predecessor Bill Clinton, Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Wednesday. "As you know, the United States, the Bush administration, does not support the International Criminal Court. President Clinton signed the treaty but we have no plans to send it forward to our Senate for ratification," Powell told reporters during a visit to U.N. headquarters. Some Republicans advocated that Bush should even somehow attempt to revoke Clinton's signature, contending the treaty violated U.S. sovereignty or might be used against American soldiers abroad. The International Criminal Court, based on the principles of the Nazi war crime trials at the end of World War II, would try individuals accused of mass murders, war crimes and other gross human rights violations. Widely supported by all Western nations, the court is expected to be set up in the Hague within the next two years after 60 national legislatures have ratified its statutes. A total of 28 nations have done so to date while another 139 have signed the treaty, which usually signals an intention to ratify. Clinton, when he signed the treaty, said he did so to "reaffirm our strong support for international accountability and for bringing to justice perpetrators of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity."

[Poiuyt]

1. I wonder if he knew he would be standing before it someday?

[daveskilt]

2. He was planning ahead - avoiding prosecution