nocents 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 those rights will be punished.
Israel is the only other democracy to abstain from approving the ICC. Israel’s actions, however, are based on a history of receiving unfavorable decisions from the United Nations. The U.S., on the other hand, seems motivated by a desire to maintain control and authority over the ICC. The U.S. is concerned that it will have little say over who the ICC decides to prosecute. However, President Clinton recently ratified the ICC treaty, citing both the need for greater accountability as well as the intention of the U.S. to sign on in order to have more control over the evolution of the ICC as it matures:
The U.S. is today signing the 1998 Rome Treaty on the International Criminal Court. … We do so to reaffirm our strong support for international accountability and for bringing ju
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