Paul Introduces Legislation To Protect Americans From UN Court

Washington, DC: As UN bureaucrats celebrate the establishment of the illegitimate and unconstitutional International Criminal Court (ICC), Congressman Ron Paul of Texas seized the counteroffensive today by introducing legislation repudiating ICC jurisdiction over American citizens. The "American Servicemember and Citizen Protection Act of 2002" protects American citizens against the ICC by urging President Bush to rescind the foolish Clinton administration signature of the ICC treaty. It also prohibits the use of US taxpayer funds for the court, and deems ICC actions against US servicemen acts of aggression against America.

"The ICC is completely illegitimate, even under the UN’s own charter," Paul stated. "That charter gives neither the UN General Assembly nor any other UN agency lawmaking authority. In other words, there cannot be UN ‘laws,’ and there is no valid law authorizing the establishment of the ICC. The ratification of the ICC treaty, whether by 60 nations or 1000, does nothing to give the court any legal authority whatsoever."

"The more important point, however, is that the ICC cannot exercise legitimate jurisdiction over American citizens," Paul continued. "The US Senate has not ratified the ICC treaty, as required by our Constitution. Furthermore, the Senate cannot constitutionally ratify any treaty that attempts to surrender the judicial function to an international agency. Our Constitution guarantees every American citizen various rights before, during, and after a criminal arrest and trial, and no valid treaty can deny our citizens those rights. The US Supreme Court, not the ICC, is the court of highest authority for all Americans."

"The ICC, like the UN itself, will be used for political purposes," Paul continued. "Far from being neutral, the court will serve as a weapon against disfavored nations and leaders. Given the anti-American sentiment that pervades the UN, we can only assume that the court will be used one day to prosecute Americans who offend our many enemies among UN member states. Only the most naive among us can believe UN claims that the ICC will prosecute only grandiose ‘crimes against humanity.’ Even the Clinton administration expressed concerns that American troops and other Americans overseas might be targeted vindictively or frivolously for prosecution. The UN constantly seeks to expand its power, and the ICC will try to do the same. Only by emphatically denouncing the court can Congress and the administration protect our constitutional rights and our sovereignty."