by James Glaser
August 19, 2002

Have you ever met those people that think they need that little bit of an edge. You play golf with them and they ask right away how many strokes you are giving them. You play tennis and they want the sun in your face. You play darts and they always step just a little off the line.

You run into these kind of people through out your life. If you are anything like me, you tend to drift away from these people and they never stay friends for long, because they are always using someone. Well it seems like America has fallen into that mode of operation, while the rest of the world wants to play fair and square.

The Minneapolis Tribune calls it "bizarre and humiliating," that the Bush administration is going from country to country trying to get bilateral side agreements, that would protect US Troops from prosecution by the International Criminal Court. In almost every case they have been turned down. Norway, Canada, Switzerland, Croatia, and every nation in the European Union has done just that.

Well here is what is so humiliating. This court can only charge someone for the crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity. The Tribune states that, "the court only has jurisdiction in cases in which the home country of the accused refuses to investigate a plausible case"

What that means and the example used, is that the American troops involved in the My Lai massacre of civilians in Vietnam could not have been charged in this court, because they were investigated by our own American Army and courts.

So what is up here? Maybe it is because American Special Forces are going to be used in covert counter terrorism operations, but even if some troops went totally nuts, it is hard to believe that America would not investigate what happened. That investigation would put those troops out of the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.

Now just about every country is looking real hard at what America is doing these days and to want to have your countries troops have amnesty from prosecution for Crimes against Humanity and Genocide, tells the world that your plans for the near future just might include some really sick tactics.

The Bush Administration should be embracing this court, because with our laws and the way we check out everything that is done in America's name, we will never have to worry about a prosecution. Other countries that really run amuck and kill large ethnic minorities need the check that this court can bring.

If George Bush and his administration don't plan to commit Genocide or Crimes against Humanity, them where is the problem? If they do plan those things, then a International Court won't matter as the American people will rise up and put a stop their evil rule.