U.S. Signs Treaty for World Court to Try Atrocities. Powerful American endorsement of the treaty establishing a permanent international criminal tribunal by President Clinton, despite its not being legally binding without unlikely Senate ratification, comes in defiance of the Pentagon and Republicans and poses a diplomatic challenge for the incoming administration. The US’ signing, as well as a last-minute decision of Israel to add its approval (seen as a testament to Clinton’s influence), brings the number of signatories to 139. 27 have already ratified the treaty, of the 60 necessary to bring the tribunal into existence.

Senior advisers to Mr. Bush, like many Republicans in
Congress, have strongly opposed the treaty. One of them is
Mr. Bush’s selection for secretary of defense, Donald H.
Rumsfeld, who joined 11 other prominent retired policy
makers last month in signing a letter warning that “American
leadership in the world could be the first casualty” of the
tribunal.

New York Times