The US national security adviser, John Bolton, will adopt an aggressive posture against the international criminal court (ICC), threatening sanctions against its judges if they proceed with an investigation into alleged war crimes committed by Americans in Afghanistan.
Bolton is to make the announcement to the Federalist Society, a conservative group, in Washington on Monday. It will be his first major address since joining Donald’s Trump White House.
“The United States will use any means necessary to protect our citizens and those of our allies from unjust prosecution by this illegitimate court,” Bolton will say, according to a draft of his speech.
He will also say that the state department will announce the closure of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) office in Washington out of concern about Palestinian attempts to prompt an ICC investigation of Israel.
The PLO office in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
“The United States will always stand with our friend and ally, Israel,” Bolton’s draft text states. It says the Trump administration “will fight back” if the international criminal court, which is based in The Hague in the Netherlands, formally proceeds with opening an investigation into alleged war crimes committed by US service members and intelligence professionals during the war in Afghanistan.
For more read the full of article at The Guardian
