[Seattle-editorial] feature proposal

[Ngaio Robertson Halsey]

Hello IMC

This is my first time proposing a feature..so please be patient.
Unfamiliar with how to create links, I simply left the websites in bracketts.
Also, I didn't attach a picture..I just remembered now that I might want one.
Suggestions on a graphic would be welcome.  I am not sure if I am still on the 
editorals list, so if you wish to respond, include my e-mail address as well.
Thank you.

Ngaio Halsey
ngaio at riseup.net

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Title: East Timor Signs Treaty with US
Subtitle: US Attempts to Furthur Undermine Global Justice

On August 26th, East Timor<www.nytimes.com/reuters/politics/politics-timor-
court-usa.html> became the third country, after Israel and Romania to sign 
Article 98, a treaty with the United States pledgng that neither will prosecute 
each other’s soldiers in the International Criminal 
Court<www.globalpolicy.org/wldcourt/> in the Hague.

Though once a proponent for the ICC, the United States, now under the Bush 
administration, has “un-signed” a treaty<www.iccnow.org/html/icc19990712.html> 
that signals an intention to ratify the US’s membership into the International 
Criminal Court.  The US government defends itself with claims that other 
countries, envious of the United States’s power, will attempt to abuse the ICC 
and unfairly target US soldiers for prosecution of war crimes.  Supporters of 
the ICC, claim that the guidelines drawn up for the ICC will prevent this from 
happening.  Suspicions have arisen that the US is more fearful of their leaders 
being prosecutable for war crimes than actual soldiers.

Still wary of the possibilty that US soldiers may be tried under the newly 
formed International Criminal Court, the US government jeopardized dozens of 
peace-keeping missions<www.globalpolicy.org/security/peacekpg> by threatening 
to withdraw all US support unless the ICC granted special immunity from 
prosecution to all US militray personnel.

In mid-July, after three weeks of negotiations, the US and the UN agreed to 
suspend any action on either side for a year.  But since then, the US has 
actively persued countries internationally with a treaty pledeging that neither 
country will send each other’s soldiers to the ICC.    Countries, refusing to 
sign, declare their intention to stand firmly behind the ideal of equal 
treatment under global law.

The International Criminal Court was born July 1st, 2002.  So far, 76 of the 
original 139 signees<www.iccnow.org/html/country.html>, have ratified their 
memberships.  The ICC is similar to, but a permanent replacement of, 
international tribunals<www.hrw.org/wr2k1/intro/intro15.html>, meant to try 
genocide and other crimes against humanity.  The ICC intends only to try 
individuals when their home states fail to take adequete disciplinary actions 
themselves.