US Cuts aid to allies who wont excempt US from War Crimes [View All]

US CUTS AID TO ALLIES WHO WON'T EXEMPT US FROM WAR CRIMES...

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1001-01.htm


Published on Wednesday, October 1, 2003 by OneWorld.net
US Cuts Military Aid to Friendly Nations
by Jim Lobe

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration today cut over $89 million in military aid to 32 friendly countries because they refused to exempt U.S. citizens and soldiers from the jurisdiction of the new International Criminal Court (ICC)--the world's first permanent tribunal to prosecute the perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Among the countries whose aid was cut were a number of new democracies in Central and East Europe--some of which have contributed troops to bolster the U.S.-led occupation in Iraq--as well as Brazil, Costa Rica, Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, South Africa, and several other Latin American and African countries.

"This is the first sanction in U.S. diplomatic history targeted exclusively at democracies," said Heather Hamilton of the World Federalist Association (WFA), one of hundreds of non-governmental groups around the world that have joined in a global coalition in support of the ICC.

While the cuts were relatively small this year, they would come to just under $90 million in fiscal year 2004, which begins today, October 1.

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