# US blocks International Criminal Court prosecutor's visa over Afghanistan inquiry **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 5, 2019, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-blocks-international-criminal-court-prosecutors-visa-over-afghanistan-inquiry/832101 "2019-04-05T19:17:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-blocks-international-criminal-court-prosecutors-visa-over-afghanistan-inquiry/832101/1 "2019-04-05T19:17:42Z")
> **[US revokes ICC prosecutor's visa over Afghanistan inquiry](https://www.theguardian.com/law/2019/apr/05/us-revokes-visa-of-international-criminal-courts-top-prosecutor)** > > Fatou Bensouda wants to open investigation into alleged war crimes, including by US troops Is this where we are in the world today? It’s been years since I left the job I had with american colleagues in Oslo and I feel out of the loop on what Americans think. What gives? I read 5-6 newspapers a day, mostly in Norwegian, but I haven’t seen this covered elsewhere. If there’s no ameliorating circumstances here then this is sad as hell. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-blocks-international-criminal-court-prosecutors-visa-over-afghanistan-inquiry/832101/2 "2019-04-05T19:29:39Z")
> [@Gukumatz](#): > > [US revokes ICC prosecutor's visa over Afghanistan inquiry | International criminal court | The Guardian](https://www.theguardian.com/law/2019/apr/05/us-revokes-visa-of-international-criminal-courts-top-prosecutor) > > Is this where we are in the world today? It’s been years since I left the job I had with american colleagues in Oslo and I feel out of the loop on what Americans think. What gives? > > I read 5-6 newspapers a day, mostly in Norwegian, but I haven’t seen this covered elsewhere. If there’s no ameliorating circumstances here then this is sad as hell. I just heard about this this morning on Public Radio. According to them, there hasn’t been much love lost between the US administrations in the past and this Court, but that nobody before did anything as petty as this action by the Trump administration ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-blocks-international-criminal-court-prosecutors-visa-over-afghanistan-inquiry/832101/3 "2019-04-30T14:40:49Z")
The US doesn’t recognize the ICC and hasn’t signed the underlying treaty, and probably never will. Trump’s people have doubled down on this because… well, it’s what they do. If you haven’t heard of John Bolton before, he’s been advocating for the US to leave the UN and pretty much every multinational organization other than NATO. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-blocks-international-criminal-court-prosecutors-visa-over-afghanistan-inquiry/832101/4 "2019-04-30T14:48:01Z")
At this point, the US is moving towards becoming a rogue nation, a nation that does not honour treaties or agreements, and who is out of step with the rest of the world. Decisions are being made based not on knowledge, science and evidence, but rather based on ideology, religion and magical thinking. It is spending more and more on military equipment, and is slipping faster and faster into an authoritarian mentality. The public is being fed propaganda that is increasingly ridiculous. It’s becoming North Korea on steroids. I think that in the future, historians will be writing about how this was the beginning of the downfall of the US, and very possibly the world. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-blocks-international-criminal-court-prosecutors-visa-over-afghanistan-inquiry/832101/5 "2019-04-30T15:50:44Z")
That may be true, but it’s not relevant to this issue; the US is not a signatory to a treaty or agreement involving the ICC. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-blocks-international-criminal-court-prosecutors-visa-over-afghanistan-inquiry/832101/6 "2019-04-30T18:32:56Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > That may be true, but it’s not relevant to this issue; the US is not a signatory to a treaty or agreement involving the ICC. Ah, so the US blocks the ICC representative’s visa for the same reason my dog licks his balls; Because they can. Well that’s fine. The US is now following the policy of “If it is technically legal, or if I cannot be indicted, that means that not only CAN I do asinine, ass-hole things, but I MUST do these things.” OK. As long as we know where it stands. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-blocks-international-criminal-court-prosecutors-visa-over-afghanistan-inquiry/832101/7 "2019-04-30T20:27:01Z")
It’s their country. They decide who can and cannot enter it. No explanations or reasons need to be given. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-blocks-international-criminal-court-prosecutors-visa-over-afghanistan-inquiry/832101/8 "2019-04-30T20:43:42Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > It’s their country. They decide who can and cannot enter it. No explanations or reasons need to be given. Yes, that is indeed the letter of the law. However, this does not mean that the US will be free from the consequences of their actions. The rest of the world takes the US just a little less seriously than before. There is a little more caution in any business dealings. A little less cooperation. Eventually, these things tend to catch up with you. It’s like if you’re a dick-head to folks at work. You don’t break any regulations - you perform as to the letter of the company policy. But you are generally a dick. Don’t be surprised if nobody has your back, or goes out of their way to help you. And when push comes to shove, if you get shit-canned, nobody will care. But you followed company policy, so good for you. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-blocks-international-criminal-court-prosecutors-visa-over-afghanistan-inquiry/832101/9 "2019-04-30T20:51:17Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > It’s their country. They decide who can and cannot enter it. No explanations or reasons need to be given. Might makes right, he? Since they have the power, no-one can question its exercise. I can see no unintended negative consequences of holding that point of view. None at all. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2019, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-blocks-international-criminal-court-prosecutors-visa-over-afghanistan-inquiry/832101/10 "2019-04-30T22:23:10Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > The US doesn’t recognize the ICC and hasn’t signed the underlying treaty, and probably never will. Trump’s people have doubled down on this because… well, it’s what they do. If you haven’t heard of John Bolton before, he’s been advocating for the US to leave the UN and pretty much every multinational organization other than NATO. If John Bolton is still alive when there is a World War III that leaves the planet a smouldering pile of radioactive rubble, it’s a good bet that somewhere behind the scenes Bolton will have been the leading cause of it. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-blocks-international-criminal-court-prosecutors-visa-over-afghanistan-inquiry/832101/11 "2019-05-01T00:35:52Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Might makes right, he? Since they have the power, no-one can question its exercise. > > I can see no unintended negative consequences of holding that point of view. None at all. If you have the greatest economy and greatest military, then yeah, might makes right. Is this some sort of surprise? ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-blocks-international-criminal-court-prosecutors-visa-over-afghanistan-inquiry/832101/12 "2019-05-01T01:21:26Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > It’s their country. They decide who can and cannot enter it. No explanations or reasons need to be given. It may be within the rules to invite a skunk to the company picnic. Doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2019, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-blocks-international-criminal-court-prosecutors-visa-over-afghanistan-inquiry/832101/13 "2019-05-01T02:11:54Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > If you have the greatest economy and greatest military, then yeah, might makes right. Is this some sort of surprise? Buddy, nobody is acting surprised. What we’re saying is that behaving this way is going to lead to consequences that you will not like. What part of this are you not understanding?