The International Criminal Court (ICC) has once again opened an investigation against the possibility of crimes committed by the United States of America (USA) and its allies during the Afghan war. This inquiry was initially rejected back in April 2019 because it was believed that such an investigation would not serve the interest of justice, as those involved in the Afghan war were in talks with the stakeholders to manage the situation and end the war in the region. Since the USA is not a signatory of the ICC, the statement in response to this investigation only mocks the jurisdiction of the ICC, claiming that an investigation would target Americans and would also create hindrances in the peace process initiated by the current deal between the two sides in Afghanistan.
While the jurisdiction of the ICC in non-signatory states can be debated, it should not stop any international body from performing its tasks, particularly in war-torn areas where the possibility of these crimes is manifold. The 19-year-old conflict has a lot of untold stories and they should make it to the forefront, especially given the USA’s repeated interventions in several parts of the world. Several civilians and state institutions suffer as a result of global conflict. It is important to understand these circumstances to be able to stop the humanitarian crisis and protect the majority from such torture.
If the ICC is able to prove these war crimes, it will face a lot of criticism from the USA which is not part of the body and terms it politicised for targeting them. The impact it will have on the treaty will only unfold with time, however, a proof of these activities will certainly take away all its remaining repute of being a torchbearer of human rights and a firm advocate of justice.