NEWS: U.S Troops Withdraw After International Criminal Court Decision.

The U.S. has had to remove troops from Ethiopia, Eritrea and Kosovo, because they are no longer exempt from international prosecution for war cimes. The exemption expired on Wednesday.



Although not a member of the international criminal court, and that is why an exemption was necessary, the U.S. does have a number of bilateral agreements preventing prosecution of U.S. troops. However, it does not have any such agreements with Ethiopia, Eritrea, or Kosovo.

This seems a much better strategy for deploying our troops as peacekeepers. Without our direct negotiation of a bilateral agreement, we will not provide peacekeeping services.

[edit on 3-7-2004 by John bull 1]

The 9 soldiers affected were working with the UN mission in areas where there is no bilateral agreements that bar prosecution of US officials for war crimes.

From same link above:

A seven-person team will be removed from the U.N. mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea. In addition, two liaison officers will be taken from the U.N. mission in Kosovo, Larry Di Rita, a Defense Department spokesman, said Thursday.