WASHINGTON, Aug 17, 2001 (LSN.ca) – House Republican leaders are refusing to release a Clinton-administration agreed $582 million payment to support the United Nations unless it is passed with a resolution against the International Criminal Court (ICC). The US has fought against the ICC since, among other things, US soldiers may be liable for prosecution by the ICC.
The Washington Post reports, the American Service Members’ Protection Act was attached to the House version of a State Department authorization bill that contains the U.N. money. Its attachment was passed by a 282-137 majority, which included 76 Democrats. The bill to release the funds in the Senate does not contain the anti-ICC act. The Bush administration is hoping to have the funds forwarded to the UN to avoid embarrassment when President Bush addresses the U.N. General Assembly in late September.
As he was leaving office President Clinton signed the ICC despite the objections of a vast majority of Americans. Some suggest his actions sealed the fate of the US to be pro-ICC since the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties says a country that has signed but not ratified a treaty “is obliged to refrain from acts which would defeat the object and purpose of” that accord.
The protection act would cut off U.S. military assistance to any non-NATO country that ratified the ICC treaty. It would also prohibit U.S. troops from serving in any U.N. peacekeeping forces unless the U.N. Security Council gives American soldiers immunity from ICC jurisdiction. And it would authorize the president to use military force to free U.S. or allied service members held by the court.
For more see the Washington Post at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A16817-2001Aug15