And the signatories are…
But what authority does this have?
I don’t know how accurate their assumptions are, but I’m assuming the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court probably has a good idea what his limitations are. Possibly better than Republican Senators. But you never know.
But can 12 Senators actually do this, without authority from the President or at least the Secretary of State or passing some sort of Bill?
Is Trump behind it? I noticed his friends Cruz and Rubio in the signatories.
I’m mystified.
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MUNGUIN'S NEW REPUBLIC 
last week when these rumours of ICC arrest warrants surfaced, they were traced back as originating in Israel – not at the ICC. AFAIK no ICC spekesperson has commented these rumours or on ICC intentions to issue arrest warrants.
Note the letter is a reply to the rumours “reports that the ICC may be considering . . .”
Is it just another Israeeli-US threat/attempt to control international institutions?
For the series . . . If you don’t have a veto like the US has at the UN, get a dozen Senators?
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Thanks for that.
It was the first I had heard of it.
As I said, I’d have thought that if it were the case that the ICC had no jurisdiction, their justices would probably know this, at least better than the senator signatories.
So also, would it not have been better to wait to find out if these “reports” had any substance?
“You have been warned” in a first communication, about actions that you do not even have confirmed, is hardly good international diplomacy.
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AFAIK “warning threats” violate at least a couple of international legal statutes ensuring accredited people (ICC lawyers, rapporteurs etc) can go about their work unhindered
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So, unlikely to have come from the State department or the White House, which might be expected to know that.
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Sadly, I doubt that it violates any legal provision in law. Besides, the only law that would matter would be US law because the US is not a signatory to ICC.
The US has a historic concern that US soldiers will be arrested for war crimes while abroad in a country that is a signatory to the ICC. To prevent this, they threaten everyone with financial repercussions should a US soldier be arrested on foreign soil eg reduced aid, trade restrictions. They’ve actually gone further than that with the Amerian Service-Members Protection Act. This permits the US to use any means necessary to release US prisoners undergoing ICC legal process.
This letter isn’t anything new regarding the relationship between ICC and US. The question would be whether the 12 senators could convince the US government to carry out the threats.
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Thanks for the explanation.
I guess they have carte blanche to do whatever.
https://www.amnesty.org.uk/press-releases/iraq-twenty-years-still-no-justice-war-crimes-us-led-coalition
He who pays the piper.
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Should we be surprised that the fascists take off the velvet glove when their chums feel threatened? US bully boys.
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I think, but I don’t know for sure, that they are all pretty hard right senators. Trump loyalists. So, not very surprised.
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Tris, I suspect they’re all rabid Zionists too, like Trump.
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I only recognised a couple of names.
Rubio’s name rang a bell but I was mixing him up with Hawley
Cruz is that Texas dude, who fled to Mexico when there was a forecast for freezing weather and disruption in his state.
Far right Trump supporters.
I dunno about the rest.
I wonder if they are still OK with Trump after Stormy testified that as he was doing whatever he did with her, he said that she reminded him of his daughter…
Barf!
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Sanctions. The new Gunboat Diplomacy.
England taught them well.
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Yeah, that would be in the days of Palmerston when they had boats that could make it out of the Channel!
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Fascists writing threats in defence of other fascists.
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Seems so.
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The reference to The American Service-Members’ Protection Act is significant.
It is a US law ( introduced by Bush in 2002) which basically authorizes the use of military force to liberate any American or citizen of a U.S.-allied country being held by the court.
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Oh… I’d never heard of that.
But surely any action wouldn’t be taken on the word of Senators alone.
Does action not have to be authorised by the President?
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I think its a warning shot…basically sending a signal to any country who might be thinking of actioning an arrest should the ICC issue any warrants.
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Yep. I can see that, Jake. I just wonder who authorised it.
I know these guys are federal senators, but none of them holds (as far as I know) a position that would allow them to officially warn foreign state with action.
I’d have thought the Federal Secretary of State, or the President would be the only ones who could authorise that.
I’m pretty sure too, that in an initial letter, it isn’t done to end it with “you have been warned”.
That’s more suited to the likes of North Korea than the USA.
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There is a certain noise cows make that, when made galvanises the whole herd. They loose all reason, this letter is a symbol of the human equivalent.
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LOL.
Nicely put, Alan.
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It’ll be interesting to what the “official” report says.
https://www.jpost.com/international/article-800483
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I look forward to it.
It seems that the actual American government is taking a more careful and diplomatic approach.
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https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GNF7it3XUAAh8kr?format=jpg&name=medium
Wow. American democracy…
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