Yes, but what does it mean if the USA is not a participant of the ICC? FAFO? Maybe it needs to happen.
The official position of the US is that they would retaliate, possibly by attacking the country holding their officials prisoner.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Service-Members'_Protection_Act
This is because the US follows the ethical principle of “rules for thee, not for me”.
Setting aside (but stating) my stance that Israel’s policy of collective punishment against innocent Palestinian civilians is completely wrong and thus unconditional support from the US government for Israeli actions is also wrong - South Africa isn’t a good faith actor here.
What was South Africa’s official position last summer, as a signatory to the Rome Statute that established the ICC and thus a nation obligated to arrest those with an ICC arrest warrant that step foot in their territory, about honoring their obligation to execute an arrest on the ICC warrant issued for Putin for war crimes should he step foot in their territory? It almost seems like they’re trying to distract from something or are maybe working towards mutual goals with some other entity (or entities) behind the scenes… Hmm.
July 19, 2023 - South Africa says Putin will skip a Johannesburg summit next month because of his ICC arrest warrant
It ended months of speculation over whether Putin would travel to South Africa, which is a signatory to the Rome treaty that formed the International Criminal Court and therefore has the obligation to arrest the Russian leader if he sets foot on South African territory.
