Anne-Marie Slaughter on the International Criminal Court
Anne-Marie Slaughter explains how Obama has a key opportunity to reform the court.
Slaughter: The International Criminal Court is a huge opportunity for the Obama administration, although if I were advising the new President Obama, I would tell him don't touch it for at least a year. You've got enough on your plate. Don't make this like gays in the military where it's something very controversial and you get out there on it early, but actually it poisons the well for a lot of other things. But the reason I say it's a great opportunity is because what has been lacking above all on the International Criminal Court is just plain leadership. There has never been a presidential address on what the court is and what it could do. President Clinton ultimately supported the court at the very end of his administration. There was a period around 1995 where he supported it, but as the court was actually being created, he had lots of other things to occupy his time. He was not in good shape with the military.
Slaughter: The International Criminal Court is a huge opportunity for the Obama administration, although if I were advising the new President Obama, I would tell him don't touch it for at least a year. You've got enough on your plate. Don't make this like gays in the military where it's something very controversial and you get out there on it early, but actually it poisons the well for a lot of other things. But the reason I say it's a great opportunity is because what has been lacking above all on the International Criminal Court is just plain leadership. There has never been a presidential address on what the court is and what it could do. President Clinton ultimately supported the court at the very end of his administration. There was a period around 1995 where he supported it, but as the court was actually being created, he had lots of other things to occupy his time. He was not in good shape with the military.
Slaughter: The International Criminal Court is a huge opportunity for the Obama administration, although if I were advising the new President Obama, I would tell him don't touch it for at least a year. You've got enough on your plate. Don't make this like gays in the military where it's something very controversial and you get out there on it early, but actually it poisons the well for a lot of other things. But the reason I say it's a great opportunity is because what has been lacking above all on the International Criminal Court is just plain leadership. There has never been a presidential address on what the court is and what it could do. President Clinton ultimately supported the court at the very end of his administration. There was a period around 1995 where he supported it, but as the court was actually being created, he had lots of other things to occupy his time. He was not in good shape with the military.
Slaughter: The International Criminal Court is a huge opportunity for the Obama administration, although if I were advising the new President Obama, I would tell him don't touch it for at least a year. You've got enough on your plate. Don't make this like gays in the military where it's something very controversial and you get out there on it early, but actually it poisons the well for a lot of other things. But the reason I say it's a great opportunity is because what has been lacking above all on the International Criminal Court is just plain leadership. There has never been a presidential address on what the court is and what it could do. President Clinton ultimately supported the court at the very end of his administration. There was a period around 1995 where he supported it, but as the court was actually being created, he had lots of other things to occupy his time. He was not in good shape with the military.