The World as I See It: The International Criminal Court (ICC) is Corrupt to the Core!

 By Rich Kozlovich

On Feb 16, 2021 Hugh Fitzgerald published this piece, Why the ICC’s Claim of Jurisdiction Over Israel and Palestinians for War Crimes is Disturbing. in Jihad Watch saying:

In a 2-1 decision, a three-judge panel (chosen from the 18 members of the ICC) has concluded that the claims of the International Criminal Court to have jurisdiction to open a criminal investigation of possible war crimes that may have been committed by Israel or the Palestinians during Operation Protective Edge, which was fought in Gaza in 2014. What makes this decision particularly disturbing is that Israel is not a member of the ICC, and only members of the ICC are held subject to its jurisdiction. But different rules apply, apparently, when it comes to Israel.

He went on to say:

A previous Jihad Watch report on this is here, and a news article about this travesty is here: “ICC has jurisdiction to probe Israel, Hamas for war crimes, pretrial judges rule,” by Jacob Magid, Times of Israel, February 5, 2021.

In the Times of Israel article Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is quoted stating:  

“Today the ICC proved once again that it is a political body and not a judicial institution,”..... “The ICC ignores the real war crimes and instead pursues the State of Israel, a state with a strong democratic government that sanctifies the rule of law, and is not a member of the ICC..... “In this decision,” ....“the ICC violated the right of democracies to defend themselves against terrorism, and played into the hands of those who undermine efforts to expand the circle of peace. We will continue to protect our citizens and soldiers in every way from legal persecution.”

The article went on to claim they can try HAMAS terrorists also, but can someone name one time, even after all the atrocities perpetrated by Hamas, Hezbolla, or any of the rest of these Muslim terrorist groups, the ICC has ever charged any of them with a crime?  Maybe I've missed it, but overall, they, just like the corrupt UN Human Rights Council, can find unending ways of condemning Israel, but never giving anything but lip service to the crimes of Muslim terrorists. 

I think this unaccountable "criminal court", the ICC is, just like the United Nations, corrupt to the core and irredeemable.  Here was a comment by me regarding ICC claims they could arrest and try Americans for crimes of any kind, and like Israel, the United States isn't a signatory of the ICC.  

"If these leftist loons should ever arrest and attempt to try any American with their scurrilous claims of criminal activity, the United States should issue international warrants for kidnapping for those who undertook to arrest and/or try any American, even if that arrest occurred on foreign soil.  They should also issue warrants for those who issued these illegal warrants, and any jurist of the ICC who was a party to this illegal activity.  Every one of them should be dealt with as criminals".

 That quote is from my article, The International Criminal Court: Leftists Out of Control

Yemen: Houthi Strike on Saudi Airport Likely War Crime, where civilians were clearly and deliberately targeted at the international airport in Saudi Arabia.  And according to Geopolitical Futures:

"Houthi rebels are intensifying their assault on the Saudi-backed and internationally recognized government in Yemen. In the city of Marib, the Houthis have launched attacks on multiple fronts in the past 24 hours. And the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted two drone attacks targeting the Saudi city of Khamis Mushait – the fifth Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia in four days."

This is the same group whose terrorist status was changed by Joe Biden: 

"Last week the Biden administration announced that it was reversing the Trump administration’s decision to name the Yemeni Houthis (formally, Ansar Allah) a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and a Specially Designated Global Terrorist group"...... (Editor's Note:  These group change their names like I change my socks, based on whose in charge at that moment, but they're all part and parcel of the same package. RK)

However, the state department went on to say:

"We call on the Houthis to immediately cease attacks impacting civilian areas inside Saudi Arabia and to halt any new military offensives inside Yemen, which only bring more suffering to the Yemeni people."

The author made a statement that should have been obvious to the most causal observer:

"Now, there is a very clear contradiction here. What do we usually call attacks on civilians, of the sort that led to this State Department rebuke?  Terrorism."

Daniel Greenfield addressed this in his piece, Biden Takes "Death to America" Terrorists Off Terror List, where he outlines their criminal activities and destructive terrorist intentions, especially their stated desire to destroy America stating: 

"None of this stopped Biden’s State Department from taking the Houthis off the terror list."

So, as I see it, this brings me to these three things.  

1. If this is the mettle of Joe Biden's intellect and foreign policy initiatives, especially after the amazing Middle East successes by President Trump, can we assume the Middle East and world are now in deep trouble?
2. Is the ICC going to claim jurisdiction over the Yemen Houthis movement?  This is clearly a criminal act of war isn't it?  And since they now, by their actions against Israel and the United States, are clearly going to ignore the idea they can only have jurisdiction on members, will they do so against the Yemeni Houthis movement?  And since they haven't they done so in the past, we must ask; why not?  
3. Finally, is Biden now to share in their guilt? And if so, will the ICC declare he's a war criminal?  
   

Here's a thought worth meditating on.  If they were to go after the United States or Israel, both countries will pretty much ignore them, will take no physical action against them.  If they go after Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, or any of the many other maniacally violent terrorist groups out there, can they be sure they'll be safe, even in their personal lives?  Answer: No!  

And that's were the rubber really meets the road, isn't it? 

The International Criminal Court: Leftists Out of Control

By Rich Kozlovich

Today David Abrams posted the article, The International Criminal Court violates international law saying:

Is the International Criminal Court itself violating international law?  Should the International Criminal Court be designated by the State Department as a terrorist organization?  On its face, these appear to be radical and bold propositions, but in recent years, the ICC has crossed a significant line: the ICC is attempting to seize jurisdiction over all nations, not just those states that have subscribed to the ICC Treaty.  As set forth below, this self-aggrandizing behavior is more than the mission creep so typical of international organization.  Rather, it is an attack on basic principles of sovereignty and a violation of international law and by extension the laws of the United States......

There was fear this unaccountable court would become a tool of leftists and anti-Semites to attack Israel and the United States to promote antisemitic and leftist agendas.  They were right. The author goes on to say:

Twenty years later, those fears have come to fruition, with the ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda seeking to establish jurisdiction over Israel for legitimate acts of self-defense.......... even though Israel never actually joined the ICC Treaty...............Similarly, the 1973 U.N. anti-terrorism convention prohibits any "attack" on the "person, freedom or dignity" of a head of state or other authorized representative of a state (3). It also prohibits threats and attempts to engage in such behavior (4). Thus, for example, if the International Criminal Court were to issue an arrest warrant for Bibi Netanyahu, it would be a clear violation of international laws against terrorism..........

I like the idea of declaring the ICC a terrorist organization, since in effect if they operate outside their legal jurisdiction and arrest anyone, they're kidnappers and by international definition, they're terrorists.

On March 7, 2020 I posted this article by Benny Avni.  Showdown Brews As U.N. Court Targets U.S. GIs . He went on to say:

An international prosecutor, Fatou Bensuda, was advised Thursday by a panel at Hague that she should go ahead and investigate alleged war crimes committed by Americans in Afghanistan. It’s a shocking development. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the International Criminal Court panel’s ruling “a truly breathtaking action by an unaccountable political institution masquerading as a legal body.” It is, but what to do? According to the Rome Statute, which governs the ICC — a global trial venue for war crimes and crimes against humanity — it has no jurisdiction over countries that have not joined its 123 member states. So non-members like America, Israel, China, Russia, and India are off limit. 

If these leftist loons should ever arrest and attempt to try any American with their scurrilous claims of criminal activity, the United States should issue international warrants for kidnapping for those who undertook to arrest and/or try any American, even if that arrest occurred on foreign soil.  They should also issue warrants for those who issued these illegal warrants, and any jurist of the ICC who was a party to this illegal activity.  Every one of them should be dealt with as criminals.

Furthermore, such an action on the part of the ICC should be considered a hostile act by the ICC as an act of terrorism against the government of the United States, and by any nation that hosts such a trial.  As for any prosecutor or judge involved in such a trial:  Their host nation should be aware that we will view it as a hostile act against the United States, and they were harboring criminals wanted by the United States. 

We should also make the world aware we would view such activity against any non-ICC member as a terrorist act. 

The first steps in correcting this massively illegal action would be to put an entire trade embargo on any nation that's a party to this in any way, not matter how small.   

In order for the embargo to be lifted, they must end their hostile actions, apologize to the world, assure the United States, and all nations who are not members of the ICC, that this was an illegal and hostile act, and that such an illegal hostile act will never occur again.  Then dutifully turn over any who were party to these acts of terrorism to the United States to face trial. Followed by substantial restitution.

The United States should also inform the United Nations they "must" support our position and publicaly condemn the ICC and any nation or persons party to these, which by their own definiton, are illegal actions, otherwise, we'll stop making our payments to the UN.

However, in order to really get their attention to let them know how serious an issue this is, behind the scenes someone should say to them:

Listen you arrogant snot nosed punks, if necessary, the Navy Seals, supported by a field battalion of United States Marines, will be more than happy to visit you in the middle of the night in order to release our people and potentially arrest the offending parties that can be found.  All of whom will be tried and found guilty in a military court, and they will be happy to slap the snot out of anyone who attempts to stop them.  

If you’re going to be the big kid on the block you have to smack someone once in a while. 

The ICC Needs a Good Smack in the Mouth

By Rich Kozlovich

On March 6, 2020  Benny Avni, published this piece, Showdown Brews as U.N. Court Targets  U.S. GI's  saying:  

An international prosecutor, Fatou Bensuda, was advised Thursday by a panel at Hague that she should go ahead and investigate alleged war crimes committed by Americans in Afghanistan. It’s a shocking development.  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called the International Criminal Court panel’s ruling “a truly breathtaking action by an unaccountable political institution masquerading as a legal body.” It is, but what to do?

In a little noticed address to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee last week, Senator Ted Cruz urged an American push at the United Nations Security Council to ban ICC investigations against Israelis, Americans, or citizens of any other non-member of the Hague-based court.

According to the Rome Statute, which governs the ICC — a global trial venue for war crimes and crimes against humanity — it has no jurisdiction over countries that have not joined its 123 member states. So non-members like America, Israel, China, Russia, and India are off limit. Or are they?

If these leftist loons should ever arrest and attempt to try any American with their scurrilous claims the United States should issue international warrants for kidnapping for those who undertake to arrest them, those who issued the warrants, and any jurist of the ICC.  Every one of them should be dealt with as criminals.

Furthermore, such an action should be considered a hostile act by any nation that hosts such a trial.  As for any prosecutor or judge involved in such a trial, their host nation should be aware that we will view it as a hostile act against the United States.  The first steps will be to put an entire trade embargo on their nation. 

In order for the embargo to be lifted, they must end their hostile actions, apologize to the world, assure the United States, and all nations who are not members of the ICC that this was an illegal and hostile act, and such an illegal hostile act will never occur again.  Followed by substantial restitution. 

However, behind the scenes someone should say to them:  Listen kids, if necessary the Navy Seals, supported by a field battalion of United States Marines, will be more than happy to visit you in the middle of the night in order to release our people and potentially arrest the offending parties.  All of whom will be tried and found guilty in a military court, and they will be happy to shoot anyone who attempts to stop them. 

If you’re going to be the big kid on the block you have to smack someone once in a while.