Alcee Hastings: “I join the chairman at this time in condemning Iraq's gross violation of human rights. Those who commit such crimes…”

“I join the chairman at this time in condemning Iraq's gross violation of human rights. Those who commit such crimes should be brought before an international criminal court, as this resolution correctly states. I do question, however, and several of us do, whether this resolution is likely to have much impact. The resolution calls for an international court to bring Saddam Hussein to justice. But this resolution does not tell us how we get from here to there. The chief concern that I wish to express is that this resolution will raise expectations, especially in Kuwait, that such an international court will be created. But we do not, by our actions today, create a court or make it significantly more likely that such a court will be created. I do, however, strongly support the resolution. It urges the United States to work for a U.N. resolution creating an international criminal court for Iraq. I would hope that we would continue in a vigorous manner to urge the United Nations to do that.”