The United States and the International Criminal Court (ICC) Essay

The United States and the International Criminal Court (ICC) Statement of Purpose This paper will clearly lay out the Unites States concerns with the International Criminal Court and will attempt to resolve them. I will then argue that no country has the right to be above international law, including the United States and that it is in the best interest of America and the world community for the united states to join the efforts of the ICC and sign the Rome Statute. Introduction to the ICC â€Å"In the prospect of an international criminal court lies the promise of universal justice. That is the simple and soaring hope of this vision. We are close to its realization. We will do our part to see it through till the end. We ask you...to do yours in our struggle to ensure that no ruler, no State, no junta and no army anywhere can abuse human rights with impunity. Only then will the innocents of distant wars and conflicts know that they, too, may sleep under the cover of justice; that they, too, have rights, and that those who violate thus rights will be punished.† Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General The Twentieth Century was the bloodiest in record history with over 174 million people killed in mass murders and genocides; more often then not, victims’ cries went unanswered. Following World War II the United Nations realized the need to take action in ending impunity from these horrible crimes against humanity. With one of the primary objectives of the United Nations being to secure â€Å"universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals throughout the world,† the United Nations recognized the need to establish an international criminal court. In 1948, at the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the ... ...xisNexis. November 3, 2003. http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/document? Davenport, David. â€Å"Commentary: New Threat to U.S. Sovereignty. United Press International.† August 2003. Lexis Nexis. December 3, 2003. http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/document? The Roman Statute of the ICC: Jurisdiction. November 3, 2002. Internet. http://www.icc.int/en/ICC_jurisdiction.html PIPA. Americas on Globalization: A Study of US Public Attitudes. International Cooperation. March 28, 2000. Internet. December 4, 2003. http://www.pipa.org/OnlineReports/Globalization/4.html PIPA. Americans on Globalization. All Notes. Question 83. December 2, 2003. Internet. http://www.pipa.org/OnlineReports/Globalization/notes/allnotes_.html Margrethe, Ellen. â€Å"U.S. Peacekeepers Integral and Prosecutable.† August 2002. LexisNexis. November 3, 2002. http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/document?