The Guardian (London)

January 5, 2001

The Editor: The week abroad: US signs up for war crimes court: Bill Clinton surprisingly signed a treaty this week giving US approval to the setting up an international criminal court to try those accused of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity. The move came just hours before the deadline was due to expire reversing his previous policy position. Israel and Iran quickly followed suit

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The court, which will be set up in the Netherlands and based on the Nuremberg nazi war crime trials, must be ratified by 60 countries before it comes into effect. At least 27 have already ratified it, but many papers said the US senate would reject it.

The Wall Street Journal said that Clinton had signed it because "he knows the next administration opposes (it) Clearly he wanted to make the most of (his last 17 days), whatever the consequences for his successor and his country."

In the Guardian, Joan Smith pointed out that Clinton's "public position was not easy to distinguish from that of his Republican opponents, who distrust the ICC because they have not been able to secure a promise that no American will ever have to appear before it ."

The Independent agreed: "As the world's only superpower, America is better served by the establishment of special tribunals on an ad hoc basis, as has been done for former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, than by a permanent court that could be used to undermine its hegemony The foreign policy legacy vaingloriously sought by Clinton at the 11th hour deserves decisive rejection".

Only the New York Times welcomed the treaty, arguing that "Clinton served US interests and the cause of justice worldwide Colin Powell should welcome a court that could indict a future Saddam Hussein and create an international movement for his capture".