International Policy

Dangers Of A World Court

Meeting in Rome, a United Nations' panel has been working toward establishing an international criminal court with worldwide jurisdiction that could investigate, indict, hold, try and punish those who commit certain crimes.

U.S. constitutional specialists and others caution that such a body could jeopardize the rights of Americans and even change the character of U.S. government.

  • They warn that American political leaders might be prosecuted if the court disagreed with the decisions they make.

  • Lee Casey, a constitutional lawyer with the firm of Hunton & Williams, points out that the proposed court could exercise "genuine power, real put-people-in-jail power," but would be responsible "to no one but itself."

  • Russia, China and many Arab countries oppose the court, but nearly all U.S. allies -- including Canada and the European Union -- favor it.

  • Jeremy Rabin, professor of government at Cornell University, says the U.S. could not maintain forces around the world with the court's threat hanging over them.

While the Clinton administration supports the idea in principle, it is seeking veto power by members of the U.N. Security Council over the court's actions. Singapore has suggested allowing a majority vote of the Security Council to delay a court investigation -- but not the power to stop one.

Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has promised that the court idea will be "dead on arrival" if it does not include a Security Council veto mechanism.

Source: Brian Mitchell, "One Court for All the World?" Investor's Business Daily, July 16, 1998.

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