The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established by a treaty via the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court signed 17 July 1998. The Rome Statute established four cases of international crimes; genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and crimes of aggression. United Nations, 1999-2003). The statute as adopted July 1998 by a vote of 120 to 7 with 21 countries abstaining. The United States was one of the 7. Bill Clinton signed the Statute on behalf of the United States in 2000 but did not submit it to the Senate for ratification and advised George W. Bush to not submit it. The United States informed the United Nations Secretary General as of October 2017 the United States, along with other countries, no longer intended to become states parties and, as such, have no legal obligations arising from the signature of the statute.
John Bolton, National Security Advisor, Speaking before the Federalist Society, informed the ICC at the Hague the US does not recognize the authority of the ICC to trample upon the sovereign rights of American Jurisprudence. (Nemo, Stephen September 1, 2018 and Johnson, Bridget September 10, 2018). Mr. Bolton threatened sanctions against the ICC, as well as any company or state assisting in an ICC investigation of Americans. ICC judges and prosecutors will be prevented from entering the United States (Johnson, Bridget September 10, 2018).
Hillary Clinton regretted the United States was not a member of the ICC, a comment Bolton used against her in her bid for president in 2016. (Nemo, Stephen, September 10, 2018). It is important the United States maintain its sovereignty of Jurisprudence because of the number of military personnel fighting in foreign lands. Our people should not be dropped into the hands of an international tribunal for crimes that they might be accused of committing in the course of their service. US military personnel are subject to the rules and regulations of the military and are to be tried under military law for any crimes which they may be accused of committing. Foreign courts have no business in American courts; civil or military. Therefore, it is important that the US remain independent from any international courts.
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Johnson, Bridget September 10, 2018. Bolton vows not to cooperate with International Criminal Court, Threatens sanctions. PJMedia. https://pjmedia.com/news-and-politics/bolton-vows-to-not-cooperate-with-international-criminal-court-threatens-sanctions/
Nemo, Stephen Z. September 10,2018. John Bolton, Trump Admin. Tell International Criminal Court (ICC) to stick it. Communities Digital News. https://www.commdiginews.com/politics-2/john-bolton-trump-admin-icc-105807/
United Nations, 1999-2003, Roman Statute of the International Criminal Court. Codification Division, Office of Legal Affairs.