What is American Leadership?
The ICC prosecutor's request for arrest warrants and America's response have put American leadership into focus
Memorial Day is Monday. We honor and remember those have served and sacrificed.
It’s Gemini season…. Happy birthday Amy, Lynda, Neece, and Steve!
Team Interruptrr is off for the Memorial Day holiday next week. I will do an India/Mexico/South Africa elections column next week. Otherwise, we’ll be back on Friday, June 7. In the meantime, I’ll be in DC next week, hosting an Interruptrr Happy Hour on Wednesday, May 29 at 6pm. RSVP here for details.
And congrats to Emily and Pin-Shan, who graduate from Bard College on Saturday.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is expected to rule on the case South Africa brought before it, on Israel’s assault in Gaza today. That will no doubt dominate the headlines. The ICJ is not the same as the International Criminal Court (ICC). The UN has a clear explainer. The ICJ is a part of the UN and involves member countries. The ICC is independent criminal court that considers cases against individuals.
Soon after the October 7 attack, US President Joe Biden addressed the nation. He started by noting that Americans are “facing an inflection point in history — one of those moments where the decisions we make today are going to determine the future for decades to come.”
He was directly referring to the need to respond to Russia’s ongoing assault on Ukraine and Hamas’s terror, while indirectly alluding to the challenge China poses to American leadership.
“American leadership is what holds the world together,” he noted. His failure to qualify what that leadership entailed came into sharp focus this week.
On Monday, Karim Khan, the lead prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), submitted a request for arrest warrants of three Hamas leaders as well as for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant1. President Biden denounced it as “outrageous,” adding that “whatever this prosecutor might imply, there is no equivalence — none — between Israel and Hamas.”
The ICC prosecutor did not say that Israel and Hamas were equal. He simply said that both had committed war crimes. Considering the crimes Khan outlined, which for Hamas includes murder, rape, kidnapping, and torture and for the Israeli leaders includes starvation and unlawful killing, neither seems outrageous. In fact, it seems necessary in a rules-based world order.
US Senator Bernie Sanders noted:
….the ICC has attempted to hold governments and political leaders accountable for crimes against humanity. That is what they do, and that is what they are supposed to do….The ICC is not making some claim of equivalence, as some have charged, but is in fact holding both sides in this current war to the same standard. We cannot only apply international law when it is convenient.
Joe Biden made democracy the cornerstone of not only his foreign policy but his reelection campaign. Assuming the presidency after Donald Trump, Biden declared “America is back” — to build alliances and uphold democratic norms. Embracing the ICC when it’s preferable, as it did when the court issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin last year, and denouncing it in the case of Israel goes against that. The inconsistent application of international law undermines justice for all.
Memorial Day weekend is a timely moment to consider justice for all. It is the tagline that gave a number of presidents cover for dispatching hundreds of thousands to fight — in Europe, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq — and gave the United States the superpower mantle. The world turned to the US to protect the rules-based world order. Unfortunately, US leaders have largely been interested in protecting power and profits, for themselves and the one percent.
The world is indeed at an inflection point where the decisions made today will determine the future. The failure to push back on Benjamin Netanyahu and his ruthless war in Gaza is a mere symptom of a larger problem — the failure to understand what American leadership entails. — Elmira
I’m opening up my column to others. Please pitch me your op-ed idea/perspective. Let’s get more female perspectives. Email me on endeavoringe@gmail.com or respond to this post.
Elsewhere in the World.....
On our radar...
International Criminal Court
On May 20, International Criminal Court’s lead prosecutor, Karim Khan, issued a request for arrest warrants for three Hamas leaders — and for Israel’s prime minister and defense minister. The matter now moves to the ICC for judges to decide on the matter. Ellen Ioanes and Nicole Narea explain that it’s unlikely anyone will be arrested. Still, they note, this action matters. (Vox)
Not sure what role the ICC actually plays in investigating and prosecuting war crimes? Claire Klobucista and Mariel Ferragamo have you covered. (CFR)
Listen: The ICC’s warrants will complicate recent cooperation with the US and, more importantly, efforts to prosecute Vladimir Putin and war crimes committed in Ukraine. Rebecca Hamilton, Todd Buchwald, and Tom Dannenbaum discuss.
Raisi’s death
Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi died over the weekend in a helicopter crash. Erika Solomon weighs in on the challenges Iran’s leaders will face in upcoming elections. (NYT)
What does President Raisi’s death mean for human rights in Iran? Tara Sepehri Far dives in on the legacy of abuse he left behind. (HRW)
Ebrahim Raisi was tapped for his loyalty to the “ruling system,” and an aging supreme leader who is thinking about how to sustain a four decade revolution. His death is unlikely to change the push for more repression and the creation of a nuclear program, say Suzanne Maloney and Ray Takeyh. (Politico)
More countries recognize Palestine as a state
Spain, Norway, and Ireland became the newest countries to recognize Palestine as a nation. They join 144 others who have already recognized it. April Rubin on why this matters. (Axios)
US
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange won a battle this week as two judges at London’s High Court ruled that Assange can appeal against his extradition to the United States. Sylvia Hui breaks down his 15-year legal saga in this helpful timeline. (AP)
Africa
Kenya’s president, William Ruto, traveled to Washington this week, for an official state visit. It’s been two decades since the White House has hosted an African leader for a state visit. Michelle Gavin outlines what Ruto and Biden will cover, including recognizing Kenya as a major non-NATO ally. Given that Kenya is about to send a police force to Haiti, it’s important that an otherwise overstretched national security apparatus is focused on this important African country. (CFR)
Women’s rights and gender equality are not in good hands with Senegal’s new government, says Jessica Moody. (WPR)
South Africa heads to the polls on May 29. Sarah Dean and David McKenzie clue us in on all election-related questions. (CNN)
Asia
New Caledonia is a French territory in the South Pacific. Riots have rocked the territory for the past week. At issue, a proposed law that would allow French citizens who have lived there for 10 years citizenship. Indigenous groups fear that this will stifle their voice. Danielle Maguire has more. (Australian Broadcasting Company)
Taiwan swore in a new president this week. Lai Ching will succeed Tsai Ing-wen and carry forward their party’s mandate for a third term. What does that mean for foreign policy? Peng-Hsuan Chen looks at the country’s external relations. (The Diplomat)
Principled international intervention is needed to address the human rights crisis in Afghanistan properly. Lisa Curtis and Annie Pforzheimer dive deep into the human rights situation under the Taliban. (CNAS)
India’s elections will conclude next Saturday, June 1. Our friends Caroline Mallory and Milan Vaishnav have put together this useful guide to the month-long election. (Carnegie Endowment)
The Americas
Watch: On June 2, Mexicans head to the polls to elect a new leader. That leader will inevitably be a woman. Lila Abed fills us in on the history behind this momentous presidential race. (Wilson Center)
Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Argentina’s President Javier Milei have difficulty seeing eye to eye, as Mar Centenera describes. As Spain and Argentina are currently going through their worst diplomatic crisis in recent history, Milei’s accusation that Sánchez and his wife are “corrupted” is certainly not improving things. (El Pais)
Europe
As if the world didn’t have enough surprising news this week, in the UK, prime minister Rishi Sunak announced elections on July 4. Why? Bronwen Maddox lays out the variables, including an improved economy amid a “dangerous” world. 👀(Chatham House)
An attempted assassination attempt against Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico has generated new unity between the country’s leaders. However, it’s not likely to last long, especially with Fico’s history of creating and maintaining division within the nation. Alexandria Wilson-McDonald on the growing polarization in Slovakia — and Eastern Europe. (The Conversation)
Middle East
Does Israel know how to end the war in Gaza? Political and military analysts suggest the war is unwinnable. Lisa Goldman explains why the two goals of Israel — to destroy Hamas’ military capacity and release captives — have become unachievable in the past few months. (New Lines Magazine)
US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan traveled to Saudi Arabia recently. He and Biden are still pursuing a possible Saudi-Israel normalization deal. Saudi Arabia has been eager to ink a defense treaty with the US. But in order to normalize with Israel, it is calling for Israel to work towards a two-state solution with the Palestinians. That’s not something the Israeli prime minister is likely to accept. Beth McKernan on the chances of it happening. (The Guardian)
What do we think? Chances are slim.
Science & Climate Change
Turkey and China signed a memorandum of understanding on green energy this Tuesday, Ezgi Akin reports. Turkish Energy Minister Bayraktar met with the head of China’s National Energy Administration in Beijing, as the two countries seek to collaborate in nuclear and renewable energy projects. (Al-Monitor)
Technology
Meta’s new AI summaries of the news could drastically impact the news industry…again. Heather Kelly has the details. (Washington Post)
Opportunities
At CFR, in DC, there’s an opening for a Communications Assistant, Global Communications and Media Relations and for an Assistant Editor.
In NYC, Semafor is hiring for a Newsroom Fellow.
In DC, The Center for Climate and Security is hiring a Research Fellow. Go work with Erin Sikorsky.
Editorial Team
Elmira Bayrasli - Editor-in-Chief
Editors:
Pin-Shan Lai
Catherine Lovizio
Emily Smith
The ICC prosecutor does not have the power to issue arrest warrants. That power rests with the actual court.