Angie Craig: “I stand in support of the concept and the intent that Senator Helms brings to the floor as it relates to the…”

“I stand in support of the concept and the intent that Senator Helms brings to the floor as it relates to the International Criminal Court. I, along with Senator Helms and a good many others, have worked for some time to clarify this Nation's position in relation to the Rome treaty and the International Criminal Court. We became signatories to that in the final days of the Clinton administration and even then President Clinton spoke about it with concern. We are now faced with participating or not participating in something that we believe... puts our men and women in uniform at risk and the possibility that an international body, as adjunct of the United Nations, might choose to prosecute them, even though they were under the direct orders of our Commander in Chief in the execution of their duties. If we were to gain on an International Criminal Court a rogue prosecutor, it is also arguable that civilians serving at the behest of the United States could become subject to the same prosecution. In other words, what is happening, by engaging in and/or participating in what we believe to be an illegitimate body... I don't believe we ought to be doing that.”