Rubio Warns International Criminal Court: Don’t Talk Law to Those Who Hold Swords
It appears Trump is determined to assert dominance over the International Criminal Court (ICC).
On the 13th, Rubio reiterated in a speech at the Federalist Society’s National Lawyers Convention that the ICC must refrain from investigating or enforcing arrest warrants against U.S. nationals; failure to do so could provoke a response echoing Pompey’s ancient warning to those who would speak of law to men wielding swords.
That said… while Rubio’s statement effectively places the United States above international law, the notion of American exceptionalism is not new—it originated under George W. Bush.
Before launching the Iraq War, the United States enacted a blatantly hegemonic statute: the American Service Members’ Protection Act. The law authorizes the President to employ any means, including military force, to rescue any U.S. official or service member facing prosecution, detention, or imprisonment by the International Criminal Court in The Hague. As such, it has become known as the “Hague Invasion Act.”
Thus, Trump’s current campaign against the ICC amounts to little more than reviving this very same legislation.
In fact, the ICC’s recent targeting by Trump stems from its own miscalculation: the court, in essence, was designed as a tool for Western powers to project moral authority—yet it has been so elevated by its own rhetoric that it began investigating alleged war crimes committed by U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
Consequently, after several rounds of warnings and sanctions from Trump, the ICC quickly retreated. On the 12th, the Pre-Trial Chamber formally terminated proceedings related to potential war crimes by U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan.
Indeed, this compromise underscores once again that the ICC is not an institution dedicated to upholding international fairness and justice. Having chosen to yield to political pressure, it forfeits any claim to independence or impartiality in judicial function.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1881922735127628/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.