History of Tribunals
The Nuremberg Tribunals
Most people have heard of the Nuremberg Tribunals, which were presented as intending to hold accountable the perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity after World War II. While history was made by publicly bringing many war criminals to justice, there was precious little justice at Nuremburg, a carefully-managed show trial that culminated with the execution of a small clutch of Nazis, minor prison terms for others, and recruitment of thousands more by the CIA. One good that came of the Nuremberg Tribunals was public awareness that “following orders” is not a defense for an unlawful or immoral act.
The International Court of Justice Has Limited Powers
The International Court of Justice is a branch of the United Nations. A case can be brought there, but the “rulings” against a party to a case are based on their voluntary participation. From its own website, its power is so limited that justice cannot be served:
“The US was sued by Nicaragua in the World Court in 1984 for mining Nicaragua’s harbors and other hostile acts. The US disagreed with the Court that the Court had jurisdiction on this issue, and subsequently the US withdrew its acceptance of the Court’s compulsory jurisdiction and did not participate in the substantive proceedings. The Court ruled in Nicaragua’s favor and found the US in violation of customary international law. The US has ignored the ruling.”
