It’s November, it’s US presidential election time!

Together with Milena Sterio, the James A. Thomas Distinguished Professor of Law at Cleveland State University and the Managing Director of the Public International Law and Policy Group, we run through how the United States is currently playing its role in international criminal law and international humanitarian law.

Yes, there are big problems.

The US is still arming Israel and its campaign in Gaza despite the provisional measures order by the International Court of Justice under the Genocide Convention, which we covered here and also here. Plus the more recent Advisory Opinion of the court on the occupation of the Palestinian territories which we covered here.

The US still has 30 prisoners in Guantanamo and is still not fulfilling its obligations to try or release the men. We hear from defence counsel Alka Pradhan about how this issue has been buried from public discourse.

Congress is threatening the International Criminal Court with sanctions (again), over any potential arrest warrants for Israeli leaders for war crimes and crimes against humanity, and this time there could be even more serious consequences for anyone who cooperates with the court.

So, is there any good news?

Carmen Cheung of the Centre for Justice and Accountability tells us there are still reasons to believe the US can play a part in supporting the rule of law for international crimes.

We will bring you the full interviews with Alka and Carmen in January. Listen out for them.

US v Alvarez-Machain is the case that triggered Milena’s interest in the law. It’s the Supreme Court decision that approved forcible abduction by US agents of a suspect from a foreign country (Mexico), despite there being an extradition treaty they could have used.

And she has been re-reading Beloved by Toni Morrison.