The Maestros Of Chutzpah

The utter effrontery of the Americans staggers me sometimes.

Last week the US announced that it would be seeking to renew Americans' immunity from prosecution by the International Criminal Court. It's a concession that was extorted two years ago when the US threatened to veto all the UN's peacekeeping operations, but which is subject to annual renewal.

The timing couldn't have been worse, coming in the wake of the abuse scandal at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. Today's release of a report by Amnesty International criticising the war on terror for being behind a surge of human rights abuses around the world won't help either.

The Americans are worried that they'll be the victim of spurious or malicious prosecutions. Perhaps. But no-one wants to see that happen. Considerable time was expended when the Court was established putting procedures in place that prevent it being abused in that way, procedures with which everyone except the Americans seem satisfied. Even the British, America's only major ally in the war in Iraq, signed up. Proof that these procedures are working is evident in the fact that although over the Court has received over 100 requests to investigate the actions of coalition forces in Iraq, all have been rejected.

It's about time the US realised that its arrogant belief that it should be the only country above international law is one of the reasons why so many people hate it. In the meantime, the UN should reject any extension of the Americans' immunity, even if that means crippling all UN peacekeeping operations. I'd be interested to see how such sabotage would sit with the majority of ordinary Americans who pride themselves on their country's impeccable morals.