Cord Byrd: “I share the serious concerns of the sponsors of this amendment about the potential for the International Criminal Court…”

“I share the serious concerns of the sponsors of this amendment about the potential for the International Criminal Court to be used as a political weapon against our members of the Armed Forces. This court, a permanent, international institution, is unprecedented in history. The International Criminal Court holds the power to indict and try individuals for war crimes, even if the person is a citizen of a country that is not a signatory to the treaty that creates the Court. It is not difficult to see that rogue states may seek to indict Americans on frivolous charges simply as a means to grind a political axe. On May 6, 2002, the Bush administration renounced the United States' signature on the Treaty of Rome, which creates the International Criminal Court. But because the treaty has been ratified by 60 other countries, the Court will come into existence on July 1. Proponents of this amendment are correct in saying that the United States should take some action to protect our military personnel who serve abroad from unjustified prosecution by the Court. But the amendment proposed to the supplemental appropriations bill goes beyond protecting the members of our Armed Forces. It also authorizes the President to 'use all means necessary and appropriate' to bring about the release of a 'covered person' that is being held for trial before the International Criminal Court.”