Hubris
Yes, hubris.
US drops UN bid on war crime protection
Measure said lacking necessary support
By Edith M. Lederer, Associated Press | June 24, 2004UNITED NATIONS -- Facing global opposition fueled by the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal, the United States dropped its attempt to renew a UN exemption shielding American troops from international prosecution for war crimes.
Yesterday's move raised concern that Washington might carry out its threat to shut down or stop participating in UN-authorized peacekeeping operations.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters that every request would be examined ''both in terms of voting for a peacekeeping mission" and providing Americans to participate. A key factor will be ''what the risk might be of prosecution by a court to which we're not party," he said.
While the United States won praise for not pushing for a vote that would have deeply divided the UN Security Council, the Bush administration suffered a defeat in its lengthy battle against the world's first permanent war crimes tribunal.
Oh, you think that's reasonable? Then check this out:
US to give troops immunity in Iraq
Abandons attempt at UN resolution
By Robin Wright, Washington Post | June 24, 2004WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration has decided to take the unusual step of bestowing on its own troops and personnel immunity from prosecution by Iraqi courts for killing Iraqis or destroying local property after the occupation ends and sovereignty returns to Iraq, US officials said.
The administration plans to accomplish that step -- which would bypass the most contentious remaining issue before the transfer of power -- by extending an order that has been in place during the yearlong occupation of Iraq. Order 17 gives all foreign personnel in the US-led Coalition Provisional Authority immunity from ''local criminal, civil, and administrative jurisdiction and from any form of arrest or detention other than by persons acting on behalf of their parent states."
