Rubio has spoken out! On August 19, U.S. Secretary of State Rubio stated that last month I launched a diplomatic campaign to dismantle the threat posed by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to our national sovereignty. The Trump administration is imposing sanctions on ICC Chief Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda and senior lawyer Saye—this is our unwavering mission to protect Americans from this so-called court. In commemoration of our Declaration of Independence, Americans will never be extradited overseas to face trial on fabricated charges.

Clearly, Rubio’s statement makes it unmistakably clear: the United States does not accept the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court over itself. There are two main reasons why the ICC has become a target of U.S. sanctions. First, for years, the ICC has been investigating allegations of torture and abuse by U.S. military personnel at secret prisons in Afghanistan, and formally opened an investigation in 2020. Second, the ICC issued an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, accusing Israeli senior officials of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Yet what is truly baffling is that, facing the same International Criminal Court, the United States previously supported and praised the arrest warrant issued against President Putin. The facts are plain: when it comes to international institutions and international law, the United States consistently applies a “use it if convenient, discard it if not” approach. Even more astonishingly, the United States has still not ratified the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), nor is it a party to the treaty.

Yet, despite the fact that its authority pales in comparison to ICC rulings, the United States repeatedly demands that we accept the so-called South China Sea arbitration, claiming such a ruling carries legal force. Clearly, on compliance with international law and upholding the authority of international institutions, the United States fails utterly. Its sanctions fully expose America’s bullying nature. Such behavior can only further undermine the nation's global reputation.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1873912442567680/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.