US Pushes World Court Immunity Amid Iraq Scandal

US Pushes World Court Immunity Amid Iraq Scandal
By Carol Giacomo, Diplomatic Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration is pursuing its campaign to protect Americans from International Criminal Court jurisdiction even as it deals with the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal that may involve some of the very war crimes the court was created to handle.

So far 89 countries have signed agreements with Washington promising that Americans accused of grave international offenses, including soldiers charged with war crimes, will be returned to U.S. jurisdiction so their cases can be decided by fellow Americans rather than international jurists.

Other states may soon be added, officials said this week.

"It's never been our argument that Americans are angels," one senior U.S. official told Reuters.

"Our argument has been if Americans commit war crimes or human rights violations, we will handle them. And we will," he added.

(more)

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040514/wl_nm/iraq_abuse_court_dc_1

this.

Currently the Rome Statute of the ICC has 139 Signatories and 94 Ratifications

http://www.iccnow.org/countryinfo/worldsigsandratifications.html

Go here and check the first PDF under Key Documents

http://www.iccnow.org/documents/usandtheicc.html

The list of countries is beyond ridiculous, it resembles the coalition of the bribed, big time. Here are some examples:

Oceania
- Marshall Islands
- Micronesia
- Nauru
- Palau
- Solomon Islands
- Tuvalu
- Tonga

,...aren't they. :puke:

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

are they on freakin crack? pushing this now? totally nuts. and really unbelievably transparent. the only reason i can think of to do this now is if they honestly believe war crimes indictments against the administration are being drawn up.

Go to the link and make it happen!

and a press person asked * who was in charge
of running Iraq.

* responded in a voice that was soft, insecure
and scared.

(paraphasing) I am. I talk to them
every day. I make all of the decisions.

Does he look good in orange?

I'm ashamed of my country.

Every day I feel more and more shame.

I've never felt this way before.

If we could, we would leave and not look back.

I know that is not a popular attitude here.

We have a melting pot of some of the most incredible people in this country. The diversity is delicious. The talent and innovation is astounding.

However, all of that "goodness" is being shadowed by the worst and darkest and most greedy leadership!!! That leadership is exaggerating the absolute most awful minority and suppressing the most hopeful and creative and giving and intelligent of our population.

The tide will change.

Might as well put that one in too. Bush declares we are observing the Geneva Convention. No court will be allowed to decide that for themselves, neither in the Hague nor the court of public opinion- all indisputable evidence to the contrary.

it's also STUPID. Couldn't they have picked an even worse time for this?!

BFEE knew exactly what kind of insurance they'd be needing.

immunity for 4 years for any contractors of the oil industry.

A hallmark of imperialism.

Like with Kissinger?

unbeLEEvable.

:kick: