MrZaius.com

I’ve been silently fuming for months that the new President hasn’t put pen to paper on the Rome Statute, but felt it inappropriate to call him on it during the middle of the current effort to pull the US back into the first world vis a vis health care as a human right. Well, when you can look yourself in the mirror on a day you accept a Nobel Peace Prize while still clinging to such an outmoded notion of sovereignty that would preclude American support for and active participation in institutionalized court systems styled after the ad hoc courts that we ourselves created in the early post-War era, a reminder of his earlier positions seems wholly warranted.

The following was sent by a less guarded freshman-Senator Obama in 2006, prior to announcing his Presidential bid, in response to an email asking how he’d vote if a future President offered the Rome Statute for ratification. What’s happened since? Not much at all.

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 13:54:10 -0700 (PDT)

Dear Sean:

I want to both apologize for the delay in my response to your e-mail and encourage you to continue to give me the benefit of your thinking in the days ahead. While I have every intention of responding to my Illinois constituents in a timely manner, the reality is that I am still working on the challenge of how to efficiently answer as many as 2,000 letters, e-mails and calls a day from my Illinois constituents.

I appreciate hearing your views on the importance of the International Criminal Court.I share the objective of bringing to justice individuals who have committed war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. I am supportive of the ICC’s recent efforts to indict Congolese and Sudanese leaders responsible for atrocities in their countries and view this as an important step forward in promoting a strong system of international justice.  My hope is that ICC indictments and prosecutions will continue on in an aggressive, responsible manner.

Also, I regret President Bush’s decision to “unsign” the ICC treaty originally signed by President Clinton. While there are certainly areas in which the ICC can be improved, I feel that the best way to move forward on this issue is to remain engaged with the Court. Signing the treaty, and while simultaneously protecting American interests with respect to the ICC, is the correct approach. Although the Rome Statute will not come before the Senate until President Bush agrees to submit it for ratification, you may be sure that I will continue to discuss this issue with my colleagues on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Again, I apologize for the inordinate delay in my response. I hope it will not deter you from staying in touch.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama
United States Senator