As the trial of Slobodan Milosevic unfolds inside The Hague, the true nature and purpose of the International Court of Justice is becoming painfully obvious.
The court was created to uphold international laws with a global jurisdiction. As is apparent from the trial of the former President of Yugoslavia, the court utterly fails in this mission.
In order to be legitimate, justice must be applied consistently to all persons, and cannot leave any individuals "above" the rule of law. Yet in reality, the international court cannot and will not ever charge a western leader with a crime against humanity. Specifically, the United States, Britain, Canada and a few other select nations, reside outside the jurisdiction of the court.
Milosevic is being tried for his brutal crackdown on the Kosovo Liberation Army and the people of Kosovo. He allegedly ordered the brutal deaths of thousands of people, mostly Kosovar "freedom fighters."
In reality, Milosevic did as any self-respecting nationalistic leader would have done. A freedom fighter is simply another name for a terrorist, one you support rather than oppose. To Milosevic and the rest of the Serbian nation, the Kosovars
and their illegitimate army were terrorists and saw them in much the same way that Israel sees Palestinians.
Milosevic cracked down on the KLA and the Kosovo countryside that supported them. But did he do anything exceptional?
Does Britain not quell the seperatists in Northern Ireland through military action against the Irish Republican Army? Does American President George W. Bush not ruthlessly crush terrorists who attack his nation? Does he not also starve the people of Iraq from food and medicine? Does Israel not violate the Palestinian human rights, laying death on the doorsteps of their people? Each of these examples contains the crimes for which Milosevic is being tried-massive loss of human life, both civilian and military, under the direct orders and knowledge of the leader.
If The Hague were truly an objective and international court, we would see Blair, Bush, Sharon, and Milosevic all on trial for their crimes against humanity. Yet the court does not have the power to accuse the President of the United States of murder, deportation and persecution as it has done to Milosevic, despite their equal guilt.
It would find its authority quickly challenged if it ever put out a request for the arrest of Ariel Sharon or Tony Blair. To put it bluntly, the court is under the influence of a select few nations, and therefore finds its hands tied in accusing these nations of their crimes.
The West perceives itself as inherently pure and incapable of evil. Those who fight against the West are undoubtedly unjust in their causes, seeking to destroy our wealth and freedom. The international court is a powerful tool used to push this propaganda upon us, by going as far as labelling our defeated enemies "criminals" against all humanity.
In our increasingly blood-soaked world, the court cannot possibly convict all those guilty of crimes against humanity. This can be forgiven. Its inability to be impartial, unhindered and just cannot.