Independent Newspaper (UK): "War crimes investigation into US forces in Afghanistan can go ahead, ICC rules"
Report here:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/afghanistan-war-crimes-us-taliban-probe-international-criminal-court-icc-a9376886.html----
Most of the African nations see the ICC as a useful tool if used appropriately and proportionately but claim by far a majority of cases at the ICC (in the Hague) are disproportionately against citizens of African countries and therefore have virtually dismissed it.
If any case goes ahead against any of the US administrations (and its allies) related to the war and subsquent occupation of Afghanistan then could this be a turning point in the functionality of the ICC? Could it gain credibility around the world as a serious force for good?
Regardless of whether any members of any US administrations that governed throughout the war and occupation of Afghanistan are found guilty or not or whether after the investigation there is insufficient evidence for any case to proceed - it should be noted that even though the US does not recognise the jurisdiction of the ICC, the fact so many other countries around the world do and the fact the unprecedented step would have been taken shows it is a watershed moment.
Ms Bensouda (a Gambian lawyer at the ICC) stated: "US military and intelligence agencies committed acts of torture, cruel treatment, outrages upon personal dignity, rape and sexual violence against detainees in Afghanistan and other locations, largely between 2003 and 2004."
She also said "... other crimes had been committed by the Taliban and other insurgent groups, including the killing of 17,000 Afghan civilians since 2009 – of which 7,000 were targeted killings."
The investigation by the ICC is multi-faceted. If it goes ahead it will investigate alleged war crimes by the US military and its allies and will also investigate the Taliban and the Afghan army. If it goes ahead it will take years to complete before any decision will be made.
How do you all feel about this?