We will know there has been a sea change in American attitudes when we see the first US defendant charged with torture or war crimes before the International Court of Justice.
This will take a real sea change in American politics, as the American Servicemembers' Protection Act specifically prohibits the US from allowing any of its nationals to be tried before the ICC.
"PROHIBITION ON RESPONDING TO REQUESTS FOR COOPERATION- Notwithstanding section 1782 of title 28, United States Code, or any other provision of law, no United States Court, and no agency or entity of any State or local government, including any court, may cooperate with the International Criminal Court in response to a request for cooperation submitted by the International Criminal Court pursuant to the Rome Statute."
Section 2008 of the act gives blanket authority to the President for an invasion of Belgium to free any national or designated ally being tried before the ICC:
SEC. 2008. AUTHORITY TO FREE MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES AND CERTAIN OTHER PERSONS DETAINED OR IMPRISONED BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
Frankly, I don't believe the congressional democrats are willing to spend the political capital needed to repeal this, even noting the fact that leaving a blanket authorization for the use of military force is insane.
This kind of nationalism enjoys as broad a support in the US. We're a nation of jihadists. "It Can't Be Just About Us"--Frank Schnittger, ETian Extraordinaire
Usually I'm better than that. Thanks. "It Can't Be Just About Us"--Frank Schnittger, ETian Extraordinaire
Thus Obama is inheriting a polity which is fundamentally imperialist - Democrats as well as Republicans, and quite a few "progressives" as well have a contempt for the UN, for international law, and for American's tried under international law. These attitudes run much deeper than the Obama/Bush divide, and until that changes, the US will continue to be a source of instability in the world - with US Corporations, Mercenaries, and Armed Forces acting with impunity around the world.
My next diary should perhaps be entitled "The limits of US Liberalism". notes from no w here
This sort of drove me into a tailspin thinking about the notion of America's role in the world. Anything the Obama election might have done for the US needs to be viewed from the bottom of that deep, deep hole we've dug for ourselves.
Policy is just another expression of a society's culture and that being the case, we've cause to be humble indeed. "It Can't Be Just About Us"--Frank Schnittger, ETian Extraordinaire
