Are the Risks Real? Contemporary Opposition to the ICC
Date
2002
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Abstract
In spite of the overwhelming global support for the international criminal court (ICC) upon its inception in July 1998, a significant number of states, led by the US, have hesitated in ratifying the Rome Statute. After reviewing the benefits and drawbacks of a fullyfunctioning ICC, this paper addresses the implications of the ICC in the context of global power politics. We conclude that, while accession to the ICC indeed affects state sovereignty, on the whole, the risks articulated by opponents in the US and elsewhere are more perceived than real. Accepting the ICC will have little to no impact on Great Power security or influence in the international arena.