If an individual - a US soldier for example - commits a crime on a non-US soil, he will be subject to that country criminal law - not an international court.
International court is an organisation that is seen by many as interfering with soverenity of countries by declaring some of their subjects's actions as crimes.
Americans are afraid that that international court will decide to declare an act performed by an american in any place in the world an international crime and aresting him/her for it. Like what's to prevent the court from accusing our Secretary of State mr. Powell of invading Iraq and commiting crimes there and jailing his bellybutton once he shows up in Europe on foreign visit. Or Bush Senior for that matter for ordering it? After all, that is what they try to do with Ariel Sharon - who did not commit any crimes in Holland and have not commited any crimes while performing his duty according to the Israel.
How about Pinochet? What crime did he commit in Holland? Or even outside of Chilie? He was not considered a criminal in Chilie and never was accused of doing any wrongs in any other country. So the international court is ready to try him for something that he did in his own country for which he is not held responcible there!
If an official does something in his country's service that affects another country, the country as a whole is responcible. You deal with the whole country and demand satisfaction - using sanctions and even military force if necessary. If you are after an individual, demand that country surrenders him/her or deal with concequences.
Of course we will invade Holland if International Court jails our president of general or soldier on some silly pretext. At least I hope so. Americans are not yet ready for the world government.
miko
