foreignpolicy--2020-06-11--Serpico on Police Racism: ‘We Have This Virus Among Us’

In recent weeks , that problem exploded into worldwide furor once again after a white Minneapolis police officer was videoed casually suffocating a handcuffed black man , George Floyd , to death .
Many experts said that had it not been for the video , the officer , Derek Chauvin—who was later fired and charged with second-degree murder—would likely still be on the Minneapolis police force .
Serpico notes that there is a tragic continuum here : Much as police abuses today are being exposed only by citizen bystanders with cell phones , his only recourse 50 years ago was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after he discovered that the NYPD was incapable of investigating itself and the city government wouldn ’ t act .
Now , with Congress and state and local legislators finally confronting the problem of accountability and abuse by proposing new legislation , Serpico says there may be hope at last—but there ’ s a long way to go .
This interview has been edited for length and clarity .
Foreign Policy : Were you surprised by the reaction to George Floyd ’ s killing ?
Frank Serpico : The fuel has been pooling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ignited it .
It had gone too far , too long .
Police corruption is endemic .
It ’ s been there since the beginning of policing , when police officers had to buy their jobs .
What is happening now is also a manifestation of that corruption .
Brutality is police corruption .
This is a window of opportunity to have some police officers finally see that , hey , we have inherited the sins of our brothers and it behooves us now to do something about it .
I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country and the world .
Until now all my communications have been about whistleblowers and corruption and how the whistleblower almost always becomes the victim .
The problem is that in most cases the agencies they go to in order to tell them about wrongdoing inside or outside the department respond along the lines of : If we did this [ prosecuted police officers ] , we would undermine the stability of society .
Or they say , “ We can ’ t afford a scandal .
It would undermine public confidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re seeing now is that it already has been undermined .
FP : The reaction has been even greater and more intense—certainly more global—than five or six years ago , when the Black Lives Matter movement erupted after Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson , Missouri , and Eric Garner was suffocated by a New York police officer .
Garner , like Floyd , cried out , “ I can ’ t breathe , ” before he died .
It ’ s called solidarity .
Because people are fed up around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drove it home this time , as didn ’ t happen with Eric Garner , is this was so in your face .
It was all there on video : One human being slowly killing another helpless human being .
It really went beyond the pale .
So hopefully the movement continues .
We had the coronavirus , which is still ongoing , a lot of people losing their jobs , and the boil burst .
It was the perfect storm .
I feel that the coronavirus is equivalent to police corruption .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we don ’ t know who has it .
Police corruption too is a virus .
FP : The international reaction has been extraordinary , don ’ t you think ?
FS : It ’ s called solidarity .
Because people are fed up around the world .
Look at what ’ s happening with the police in Turkey , where they ’ re shooting at these communities .
It ’ s about poverty in these communities , desperation .
What has to be addressed is this economic disparity in the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wasting so much money on BS technology that would be better used to fix this problem .
FP : How much of this has to do with racism , plain and simple ?
FS : There is something in the culture that is unmistakably racist .
I don ’ t know how many white guys there are out there , in whatever position , who wake up every day and say , “ What am I going to do today to fight racism ?
” And I bet just about every black man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , am I going to get my ass beat today ?
” A lot of people of color have PTSD over this , whether white people , especially cops , understand that or not .
They panic at the sight of the uniform .
It ’ s almost become part of their DNA .
When I was a cop , I was working one day with this white guy , and we got a complaint to investigate .
We go to the scene , and there ’ s a white man and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the white man , “ What ’ s the problem ?
” And the black guy says , “ I ’ m the one that called.
” He was automatically suspect , because of the color of his skin .
That ’ s one reason why black communities are so frightened and angry .
FP : Police would say , well , most of the crime is in the black and minority communities , so that ’ s where they have to have the heaviest presence .
FS : Where is the most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities , do you have to abuse them , or do you treat them like human beings ?
It ’ s about basic human behavior .
Under [ then-New York Mayor Rudy ] Giuliani , when they massacred Amadou Diallo [ a black man shot at 41 times by police in 1999 ] , the investigation was filled with lies and cover-ups .
They said his wallet , which he was reaching for , was a gun .
The cops even said such things exist , wallet guns .
Everything to discredit the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was black .
The system has to change where police have immunity .
The corruption inside the departments , ironically , is only making things more dangerous for the police by making people in those communities angrier , as we saw in Ferguson .
The corruption inside the departments , ironically , is only making things more dangerous for the police by making people in those communities angrier , as we saw in Ferguson .
FP : In your famous testimony to the Knapp Commission in 1971 , after you had recovered from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drug bust and left to die by your fellow officers , you said : “ The problem is that the atmosphere does not yet exist in which an honest police officer can act without fear of ridicule or reprisal from fellow officers .
We must create an atmosphere in which the dishonest officer fears the honest one and not the other way around.
” And you said the only way that could occur is if an independent , and especially a permanent , investigative body were formed , since the police power structure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that never happened—no permanent body was formed , was it ?
FS : No .
As a result of the Knapp Commission , many low-level officers were prosecuted , and many more lost their jobs .
Unfortunately , the politicians , judges , and prosecutors—the architects of corruption—were never held responsible .
The beat cop was just doing their bidding .
But the commission disbanded in 1972 .
I spoke in the late ’ 90s before the New York City Council about that—putting oversight on the police again .
Giuliani vetoed it eight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he is and who his boss is .
These things accumulate , and the cancer grows .
Can we stop the cancer ?
The truth is , the past is now .
And the present is the future .
FP : But there are moves for new national legislation .
In the last couple of weeks , Sen. Kamala Harris of California sponsored a bill that would include forming a National Police Systems Review Board , which would “ collect data and review police shootings and other cases of severe misconduct , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standards based on evidence revealed in these reviews.
” Harris cited the way the National Transportation Safety Board conducts investigations as a model .
She was apparently inspired by Michael Bell , the retired Air Force officer whose son was killed by police in 2004 and whose campaign to use the NTSB model and push through a law in Wisconsin saying that police aren ’ t permitted to investigate their own abuses was one that you helped publicize .
Eight states so far have adopted such legislation .
FS : It could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same old rhetoric , election campaign bullshit ?
There ’ s a lot of rhetoric out there now .
A lot of police chiefs are coming out to cover their asses .
Show me the action .
As they say , show me the money .
Because I ’ ve heard the rhetoric for decades .
Even on the Knapp Commission , they were worried about their political careers .
Consider Andrew Cuomo , New York ’ s governor , he comes out and says , “ I stand with the protesters.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to say , but where the hell were you before this started ?
He was attorney general [ -elect ] when Sean Bell [ a 23-year-old black man from Queens who was shot to death by police at his bachelor party in 2006 ] got assassinated , and none of the officers were indicted .
I think they were arrested , but all got off .
This is typical , the combination of an excess of deadly force and near-total lack of accountability .
As long as they ’ re not unlucky to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cops can still pull out their weapons and fire away without fear that anything will happen to them .
All a police officer has to say is that he believes his life was in danger , and he ’ ll usually get away with it .
What do you think that does to their psychology as they patrol the streets—this sense of invulnerability ?
Some of these cops get suspended or dismissed , but they go on to be cops at other venues .
And what does that mean , to be suspended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That ’ s not punishment—that ’ s a reward .
So that has to change .
There are so many aspects that have to be changed .
Right now the cops are in the driver ’ s seat , and the citizens are being ridden roughshod over .
And in the end you just can ’ t have anybody involved with the police doing these investigations .
The fox can not watch the henhouse .
This is what I found .
I ’ m a graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ex-police officials .
They write their books , and none of them will be very critical of the police agency .
One example is James Fyfe , the former deputy police commissioner of training at the New York Police Academy , who defended Diallo ’ s killers .
In his book Above the Law , which was required reading at law class at Columbia University , he also falsified the evidence in my shooting to absolve the cops .
Even today I am persona non grata in the NYPD .
Patrick Murphy , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , wrote in his book that I shouldn ’ t have been promoted .
The blue wall of silence is even stronger than omertà , the code of silence in the Mafia .
Everybody , including the police unions , is involved .
FP : A recent study by the University of California , Berkeley found that “ at least 630 police officers have been convicted of a crime in California over the past decade—an average of more than one a week.
” And it said , “ Nearly a fifth of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the job more than a year after sentencing.
” FS : This is not just police corruption—this is about a systematic culture .
When you ’ re in it , you become a member .
The blue wall of silence is even stronger than omertà , the code of silence in the Mafia .
Everybody , including the police unions , is involved .
Even Michael Dowd [ a notoriously corrupt New York City police officer who later served 12 years in prison ] talked about how , when he first became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his fellow trainees about a cop who turned in other cops .
That guy somehow later fell off a balcony at a party and died .
On and on it goes .
The officer who killed George Floyd had , I don ’ t know how many , charges against him , but because the police have no accountability , the public can not see their record .
If you see this guy had 15 charges against him , and he ’ s still not held accountable—how is he allowed to continue being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a problem is the militarization of the police ?
FS : When I was a cop , we had .38 Specials .
They weren ’ t all that effective .
In fact , I violated the rules and got myself a Browning 9 mm automatic .
The problem was when the police transferred to 9 mm , they also went to a 40 mm , even more powerful .
And semi-automatic weapons .
In my day , we were taught to maximize efficiency .
Off-duty , I had a snub-nosed .38 Special with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , and once I got involved where I had just seen a lethal shooting , and I chased a guy and fired one warning shot and ended up apprehending the guy with four rounds in my revolver .
Today you see cops firing an entire magazine , dropping it , using another magazine , just emptying their guns and automatic weapons without thinking , in acts of callousness or racism .
Amadou Diallo in New York was shot at 41 times in 1999 for no obvious reason .
Officers fired 50 rounds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All this uncontrolled firepower , combined with a lack of good training and adequate screening of police academy candidates , has led to a major drop in standards .
All this uncontrolled firepower , combined with a lack of good training and adequate screening of police academy candidates , has led to a major drop in standards .
And now they come around with the tanks .
It ’ s very incendiary seeing these militarized vehicles .
It creates a war zone atmosphere on both sides .
Sure , police officers have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when warranted , in cases where , say , they are taking on a barricaded felon armed with an assault weapon .
But with more armament should also come more training—police have even killed some of their own with friendly fire in some cases .
When you are dealing every day with civilians walking the streets , and you bring in armored vehicles and automatic weapons , it ’ s all out of proportion .
If you don ’ t have the knowhow , you ’ re just going to kill innocent people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an even greater wall between the police and society and enforces that “ us against them ” feeling .
An “ against ” attitude creates barriers , an opposition , an enemy .
The people are the eyes and ears of the community .
Better public relations can create an ally .
Police and community working together to each other ’ s benefit .
Cell phones can be utilized to record crimes , making policing more effective , safe , and enjoyable , as it should be when the police and community can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” People don ’ t want crime in their community , but they don ’ t call the cops because they don ’ t trust the cops .

Nearly half a century ago, Frank Serpico became a household name in the United States—and in many countries around the world—after he was portrayed by Al Pacino in the classic 1973 movie Serpico. The award-winning film told the true-life story of the New York City detective’s efforts to expose corruption and abuse inside the police department. In 1971, Serpico was awarded the Medal of Honor, the New York City Police Department’s highest award for bravery in action, and he is still ranked among the American Film Institute’s all-time movie heroes. Now 84, Serpico lives quietly outside Albany, New York, but he remains vocal in speeches, articles, and activist campaigns pushing for police reform. And Serpico says Americans are still fighting the same fundamental problem today that he struggled with as a young cop who refused to take bribes in New York during the 1960s and early ’70s: a near-total lack of accountability over abuses. Then as now, Serpico says, police departments have proved incapable of investigating themselves, and district attorneys typically look the other way, fearful of offending the politically powerful police unions.
In recent weeks, that problem exploded into worldwide furor once again after a white Minneapolis police officer was videoed casually suffocating a handcuffed black man, George Floyd, to death. Many experts said that had it not been for the video, the officer, Derek Chauvin—who was later fired and charged with second-degree murder—would likely still be on the Minneapolis police force. Serpico notes that there is a tragic continuum here: Much as police abuses today are being exposed only by citizen bystanders with cell phones, his only recourse 50 years ago was to go to the New York Times after he discovered that the NYPD was incapable of investigating itself and the city government wouldn’t act. Now, with Congress and state and local legislators finally confronting the problem of accountability and abuse by proposing new legislation, Serpico says there may be hope at last—but there’s a long way to go. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Foreign Policy: Were you surprised by the reaction to George Floyd’s killing?
Frank Serpico: The fuel has been pooling for decades—the Floyd thing was the spark that ignited it. It had gone too far, too long. Police corruption is endemic. It’s been there since the beginning of policing, when police officers had to buy their jobs. What is happening now is also a manifestation of that corruption. Brutality is police corruption. This is a window of opportunity to have some police officers finally see that, hey, we have inherited the sins of our brothers and it behooves us now to do something about it. I’m in touch with police all over the country and the world. Until now all my communications have been about whistleblowers and corruption and how the whistleblower almost always becomes the victim. The problem is that in most cases the agencies they go to in order to tell them about wrongdoing inside or outside the department respond along the lines of: If we did this [prosecuted police officers], we would undermine the stability of society. Or they say, “We can’t afford a scandal. It would undermine public confidence in our police.” But what we’re seeing now is that it already has been undermined.
FP: The reaction has been even greater and more intense—certainly more global—than five or six years ago, when the Black Lives Matter movement erupted after Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner was suffocated by a New York police officer. Garner, like Floyd, cried out, “I can’t breathe,” before he died.
It’s called solidarity. Because people are fed up around the world.
FS: I think what drove it home this time, as didn’t happen with Eric Garner, is this was so in your face. It was all there on video: One human being slowly killing another helpless human being. It really went beyond the pale. So hopefully the movement continues. We had the coronavirus, which is still ongoing, a lot of people losing their jobs, and the boil burst. It was the perfect storm. I feel that the coronavirus is equivalent to police corruption. We have this virus among us, and we don’t know who has it. Police corruption too is a virus.
FP: The international reaction has been extraordinary, don’t you think?
FS: It’s called solidarity. Because people are fed up around the world. Look at what’s happening with the police in Turkey, where they’re shooting at these communities. It’s about poverty in these communities, desperation. What has to be addressed is this economic disparity in the country and the world. We’re wasting so much money on BS technology that would be better used to fix this problem.
Al Pacino in a scene from the 1973 film Serpico.
FP: How much of this has to do with racism, plain and simple?
FS: There is something in the culture that is unmistakably racist. I don’t know how many white guys there are out there, in whatever position, who wake up every day and say, “What am I going to do today to fight racism?” And I bet just about every black man wakes up and says, “Jeez, am I going to get my ass beat today?” A lot of people of color have PTSD over this, whether white people, especially cops, understand that or not. They panic at the sight of the uniform. It’s almost become part of their DNA. When I was a cop, I was working one day with this white guy, and we got a complaint to investigate. We go to the scene, and there’s a white man and a black man. My partner says to the white man, “What’s the problem?” And the black guy says, “I’m the one that called.” He was automatically suspect, because of the color of his skin. That’s one reason why black communities are so frightened and angry.
FP: Police would say, well, most of the crime is in the black and minority communities, so that’s where they have to have the heaviest presence.
FS: Where is the most poverty? Because you go into those communities, do you have to abuse them, or do you treat them like human beings? It’s about basic human behavior. Under [then-New York Mayor Rudy] Giuliani, when they massacred Amadou Diallo [a black man shot at 41 times by police in 1999], the investigation was filled with lies and cover-ups. They said his wallet, which he was reaching for, was a gun. The cops even said such things exist, wallet guns. Everything to discredit the innocent hard-working victim, albeit one who was black. The system has to change where police have immunity. The corruption inside the departments, ironically, is only making things more dangerous for the police by making people in those communities angrier, as we saw in Ferguson.
The corruption inside the departments, ironically, is only making things more dangerous for the police by making people in those communities angrier, as we saw in Ferguson.
FP: In your famous testimony to the Knapp Commission in 1971, after you had recovered from being shot in the face during a drug bust and left to die by your fellow officers, you said: “The problem is that the atmosphere does not yet exist in which an honest police officer can act without fear of ridicule or reprisal from fellow officers. We must create an atmosphere in which the dishonest officer fears the honest one and not the other way around.” And you said the only way that could occur is if an independent, and especially a permanent, investigative body were formed, since the police power structure can’t investigate itself. Yet that never happened—no permanent body was formed, was it?
FS: No. As a result of the Knapp Commission, many low-level officers were prosecuted, and many more lost their jobs. Unfortunately, the politicians, judges, and prosecutors—the architects of corruption—were never held responsible. The beat cop was just doing their bidding. But the commission disbanded in 1972. I spoke in the late ’90s before the New York City Council about that—putting oversight on the police again. Giuliani vetoed it eight times. And now we see where he is and who his boss is. These things accumulate, and the cancer grows. Can we stop the cancer? The truth is, the past is now. And the present is the future.
Serpico is surrounded by members of law enforcement as he speaks during a rally to show support for activist and former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick in New York on Aug. 19, 2017.
FP: But there are moves for new national legislation. In the last couple of weeks, Sen. Kamala Harris of California sponsored a bill that would include forming a National Police Systems Review Board, which would “collect data and review police shootings and other cases of severe misconduct, and work to issue recommendations and implement safety standards based on evidence revealed in these reviews.” Harris cited the way the National Transportation Safety Board conducts investigations as a model. She was apparently inspired by Michael Bell, the retired Air Force officer whose son was killed by police in 2004 and whose campaign to use the NTSB model and push through a law in Wisconsin saying that police aren’t permitted to investigate their own abuses was one that you helped publicize. Eight states so far have adopted such legislation.
FS: It could be a change, but again is it the same old rhetoric, election campaign bullshit? There’s a lot of rhetoric out there now. A lot of police chiefs are coming out to cover their asses. Show me the action. As they say, show me the money. Because I’ve heard the rhetoric for decades. Even on the Knapp Commission, they were worried about their political careers.
Consider Andrew Cuomo, New York’s governor, he comes out and says, “I stand with the protesters.” Which is a very nice thing to say, but where the hell were you before this started? He was attorney general[-elect] when Sean Bell [a 23-year-old black man from Queens who was shot to death by police at his bachelor party in 2006] got assassinated, and none of the officers were indicted. I think they were arrested, but all got off. This is typical, the combination of an excess of deadly force and near-total lack of accountability. As long as they’re not unlucky to be videoed by a witness, most cops can still pull out their weapons and fire away without fear that anything will happen to them. All a police officer has to say is that he believes his life was in danger, and he’ll usually get away with it. What do you think that does to their psychology as they patrol the streets—this sense of invulnerability? Some of these cops get suspended or dismissed, but they go on to be cops at other venues. And what does that mean, to be suspended or put on leave with pay? That’s not punishment—that’s a reward. So that has to change. There are so many aspects that have to be changed. Right now the cops are in the driver’s seat, and the citizens are being ridden roughshod over.
And in the end you just can’t have anybody involved with the police doing these investigations. The fox cannot watch the henhouse. This is what I found. I’m a graduate of John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Most of the professors there are ex-police officials. They write their books, and none of them will be very critical of the police agency. One example is James Fyfe, the former deputy police commissioner of training at the New York Police Academy, who defended Diallo’s killers. In his book Above the Law, which was required reading at law class at Columbia University, he also falsified the evidence in my shooting to absolve the cops. Even today I am persona non grata in the NYPD. Patrick Murphy, who was police commissioner at the time, wrote in his book that I shouldn’t have been promoted.
The blue wall of silence is even stronger than omertà, the code of silence in the Mafia. Everybody, including the police unions, is involved.
FP: A recent study by the University of California, Berkeley found that “at least 630 police officers have been convicted of a crime in California over the past decade—an average of more than one a week.” And it said, “Nearly a fifth of those officers are still working or were still on the job more than a year after sentencing.”
FS: This is not just police corruption—this is about a systematic culture. When you’re in it, you become a member. The blue wall of silence is even stronger than omertà, the code of silence in the Mafia. Everybody, including the police unions, is involved. Even Michael Dowd [a notoriously corrupt New York City police officer who later served 12 years in prison] talked about how, when he first became a cop, he was told by his fellow trainees about a cop who turned in other cops. That guy somehow later fell off a balcony at a party and died. On and on it goes.
The officer who killed George Floyd had, I don’t know how many, charges against him, but because the police have no accountability, the public cannot see their record. If you see this guy had 15 charges against him, and he’s still not held accountable—how is he allowed to continue being a cop?
FP: How serious a problem is the militarization of the police?
FS: When I was a cop, we had .38 Specials. They weren’t all that effective. In fact, I violated the rules and got myself a Browning 9 mm automatic. The problem was when the police transferred to 9 mm, they also went to a 40 mm, even more powerful. And semi-automatic weapons. In my day, we were taught to maximize efficiency. Off-duty, I had a snub-nosed .38 Special with only five rounds. I always carried it, and once I got involved where I had just seen a lethal shooting, and I chased a guy and fired one warning shot and ended up apprehending the guy with four rounds in my revolver. Today you see cops firing an entire magazine, dropping it, using another magazine, just emptying their guns and automatic weapons without thinking, in acts of callousness or racism. Amadou Diallo in New York was shot at 41 times in 1999 for no obvious reason. Officers fired 50 rounds at Sean Bell and his friends. All this uncontrolled firepower, combined with a lack of good training and adequate screening of police academy candidates, has led to a major drop in standards.
All this uncontrolled firepower, combined with a lack of good training and adequate screening of police academy candidates, has led to a major drop in standards.
And now they come around with the tanks. It’s very incendiary seeing these militarized vehicles. It creates a war zone atmosphere on both sides. Sure, police officers have the right to defend themselves with maximum force when warranted, in cases where, say, they are taking on a barricaded felon armed with an assault weapon. But with more armament should also come more training—police have even killed some of their own with friendly fire in some cases. When you are dealing every day with civilians walking the streets, and you bring in armored vehicles and automatic weapons, it’s all out of proportion. If you don’t have the knowhow, you’re just going to kill innocent people. All that firepower and armor puts an even greater wall between the police and society and enforces that “us against them” feeling.
An “against” attitude creates barriers, an opposition, an enemy. The people are the eyes and ears of the community. Better public relations can create an ally. Police and community working together to each other’s benefit. Cell phones can be utilized to record crimes, making policing more effective, safe, and enjoyable, as it should be when the police and community can say “they” are “us.” People don’t want crime in their community, but they don’t call the cops because they don’t trust the cops.


foreignpolicy--2020-06-11--As Coronavirus Recedes in Europe, Citizens Demand Answers

Here is today ’ s Foreign Policy brief : France and Italy launch public investigations into government coronavirus responses , North Korea issues a U.S. election threat , and Boko Haram kills 81 in Nigeria .
We welcome your feedback at morningbrief @ foreignpolicy.com .
In what is likely become a global trend as more countries look back on their coronavirus outbreaks , Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is to be questioned by prosecutors over his government ’ s initial response to the pandemic .
The prosecutors are working on behalf of families who have lost loved ones as Italy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreaks in the world .
The families had initially organized on Facebook , in a group that now has 56,000 members .
Chief among the relatives ’ concerns is to uncover how the government ’ s initial reaction to the coronavirus pandemic unfolded and why hospitals were ill-equipped .
“ We ’ re not interested in convictions , we just want to understand what happened .
If we understand what happened we can change a system that made mistakes , ” said Luca Fusco , the president of the group representing the families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread to France , where the chief prosecutor of Paris , Remy Heitz , has opened an investigation .
On Monday , Heitz said he was considering charges including involuntary homicide .
Any probe should not worry French President Emmanuel Macron , as his title makes him immune from prosecution .
Sweden , which did not enact the same social distancing rules as its neighbors , now has the 16th highest death toll globally .
Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has pledged to fast-track an investigative commission to study the country ’ s response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until the outbreak had subsided .
Britain ’ s belated lockdown .
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing increasing criticism as the U.K. death toll mounts .
Although the number of new cases is now decreasing , the official U.K. death toll per million residents ( 606 ) is among the worst in the world—and higher than the rate in Spain , Italy , France , Sweden , and the United States .
Opposition leader Keir Starmer has attacked Johnson for saying he was “ proud ” of the government ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yesterday that imposing a lockdown one week earlier would have likely prevented 20,000 of the country ’ s more than 40,000 deaths .
What about the U.S. ?
In the United States , where total coronavirus cases passed 2 million , Democrats have pushed for a bipartisan 9/11-style commission , although Republicans have focused their energy on an inquiry into China and the World Health Organization ’ s handling of the pandemic .
One question for a future inquiry could be why health experts , including Anthony Fauci , advised Americans that wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outbreak .
A new study by researchers at Cambridge and Greenwich universities found that public mask wearing was twice as effective in limiting the virus ’ s spread versus only wearing one when while symptomatic .
The United States is still far from defeating the coronavirus .
A count by The New York Times showed that new cases are increasing in 21 states—including California , Florida , and Texas .
Poland troop plan falters .
After U.S. President Donald Trump said he would remove 9,500 troops from Germany , plans to relocate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into disarray , Reuters reports .
A plan announced in June of last year to send 1,000 U.S. troops to Poland permanently has been held up over disputes over how much of the bill Poland would cover , where to station the troops , and whether they would gain legal immunity while stationed there .
Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski has called the plan “ a very complicated process.
” Writing in Foreign Policy on Tuesday , Michael John Williams questioned the idea that Trump ’ s removal of troops from Germany @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Berlin ’ s supposed intransigence .
That thinking “ is based on three false but common assumptions , ” he writes .
“ That the U.S. military is in Germany solely for the benefit of its hosts , that the United States and Germany share a common threat perception , and that the argument over defense spending is ultimately about spending a compulsory 2 percent of GDP on defense.
” Boko Haram attack in Nigeria .
At least 81 people have been killed in a suspected Boko Haram attack in northeastern Nigeria on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Borno state authorities .
Nigerian military spokesman Sagir Musa said they are “ committed to investigating the circumstances of these callous attacks by desperate Boko Haram criminals and the bandits on innocent civilians.
” He added that the mass killing was not only carried out by Boko Haram but with the Islamic State ’ s West Africa branch , ISWAP , as well .
China exerts Zoom pressure .
Video conferencing software giant Zoom temporarily closed an account of a U.S.-based China activist after he hosted an international call commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Zoom , the account was shuttered to “ comply with local laws , ” suggesting Zoom bent to pressure from China .
The activist , Zhou Fengsuo has run afoul of Chinese tech censorship before : His LinkedIn account was blocked from viewers in China in 2019 .
Ghani speaks .
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will give a video address to a U.S.-based audience today in an event hosted by the Atlantic Council and the U.S. Institute of Peace .
The speech comes just as the U.S. envoy , Zalmay Khalilzad , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of intra-Afghan peace talks .
You hear from Foreign Policy every day , and now we ’ d like to hear from you .
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Libya talks beginning .
As fighting continues , the United Nations reported that Libya ’ s two warring factions have begun a new round of cease-fire talks .
The Government of National Accord ( GNA ) , based in Tripoli and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have met with U.N. negotiators separately according to the U.N. Mission in Libya .
GNA forces—after breaking a monthslong LNA siege—have recently pushed eastward toward Sirte , a move that “ concerned ” the U.N. Pyongyang tells Washington to butt out .
North Korea has given a cryptic warning to the United States to stay out of its current dispute with South Korea , as it “ would be good not only for the U.S. interests but also for the easy holding of upcoming presidential election.
” The statement was made by Kwon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ affairs at North Korea ’ s Foreign Ministry amid a raising of tensions with its southern neighbor over North Korean defectors dropping leaflets across the border .
Seeking to mollify Pyongyang , South Korea said it would mount a legal challenge against defector organizations that facilitate the practice .
Writing in Foreign Policy on June 1 , Duyeon Kim and Leif-Eric Easley wrote about why the world may see more erratic behavior from North Korea in the future .
Would you want to live in a country free of any coronavirus restrictions if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brood of feral chickens ?
At this point , the answer is probably an unequivocal yes .
The residents of Titirangi , a suburb of Auckland in New Zealand , almost had their feral chicken problem—raging since 2008—solved until the coronavirus struck .
Lockdown measures meant the search for the birds was postponed , allowing the chicken population to multiply and disturb locals .
Now that New Zealand has declared victory over the coronavirus and returned to normal , residents can resume their battle against the birds—as long as they can manage the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s a very kind-hearted local who feeds them and has kept feeding them so the numbers have started to spike up again , ” Greg Presland , the local leader charged with dealing with the problem , told the Guardian .
“ I know who it is and I can ’ t make her stop , ” Presland said .
“ I ’ ve tried.
” For more from FP , visit foreignpolicy.com , subscribe here , or sign up for our other newsletters .
Send your tips , comments , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ foreignpolicy.com .

Here is today’s Foreign Policy brief: France and Italy launch public investigations into government coronavirus responses, North Korea issues a U.S. election threat, and Boko Haram kills 81 in Nigeria.
Here is today’s Foreign Policy brief: France and Italy launch public investigations into government coronavirus responses, North Korea issues a U.S. election threat, and Boko Haram kills 81 in Nigeria.
If you would like to receive Morning Brief in your inbox every weekday, please sign up here.
As Europe Counts The Dead, One Question: Why?
In what is likely become a global trend as more countries look back on their coronavirus outbreaks, Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte is to be questioned by prosecutors over his government’s initial response to the pandemic. The prosecutors are working on behalf of families who have lost loved ones as Italy emerges from one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in the world. The families had initially organized on Facebook, in a group that now has 56,000 members.
Chief among the relatives’ concerns is to uncover how the government’s initial reaction to the coronavirus pandemic unfolded and why hospitals were ill-equipped. “We’re not interested in convictions, we just want to understand what happened. If we understand what happened we can change a system that made mistakes,” said Luca Fusco, the president of the group representing the families.
The demand for an inquiry has spread to France, where the chief prosecutor of Paris, Remy Heitz, has opened an investigation. On Monday, Heitz said he was considering charges including involuntary homicide. Any probe should not worry French President Emmanuel Macron, as his title makes him immune from prosecution.
Sweden, which did not enact the same social distancing rules as its neighbors, now has the 16th highest death toll globally. Prime Minister Stefan Lofven has pledged to fast-track an investigative commission to study the country’s response, after initially saying he would wait until the outbreak had subsided.
Britain’s belated lockdown. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is facing increasing criticism as the U.K. death toll mounts. Although the number of new cases is now decreasing, the official U.K. death toll per million residents (606) is among the worst in the world—and higher than the rate in Spain, Italy, France, Sweden, and the United States.
Opposition leader Keir Starmer has attacked Johnson for saying he was “proud” of the government’s response and a key scientific advisor declared yesterday that imposing a lockdown one week earlier would have likely prevented 20,000 of the country’s more than 40,000 deaths.
What about the U.S.? In the United States, where total coronavirus cases passed 2 million, Democrats have pushed for a bipartisan 9/11-style commission, although Republicans have focused their energy on an inquiry into China and the World Health Organization’s handling of the pandemic.
One question for a future inquiry could be why health experts, including Anthony Fauci, advised Americans that wearing masks was not necessary early on in the outbreak. A new study by researchers at Cambridge and Greenwich universities found that public mask wearing was twice as effective in limiting the virus’s spread versus only wearing one when while symptomatic.
The United States is still far from defeating the coronavirus. A count by The New York Times showed that new cases are increasing in 21 states—including California, Florida, and Texas.
What We’re Following Today
Poland troop plan falters. After U.S. President Donald Trump said he would remove 9,500 troops from Germany, plans to relocate troops further east in Poland have fallen into disarray, Reuters reports. A plan announced in June of last year to send 1,000 U.S. troops to Poland permanently has been held up over disputes over how much of the bill Poland would cover, where to station the troops, and whether they would gain legal immunity while stationed there. Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel Jablonski has called the plan “a very complicated process.”
Writing in Foreign Policy on Tuesday, Michael John Williams questioned the idea that Trump’s removal of troops from Germany should be seen as a punishment for Berlin’s supposed intransigence. That thinking “is based on three false but common assumptions,” he writes. “That the U.S. military is in Germany solely for the benefit of its hosts, that the United States and Germany share a common threat perception, and that the argument over defense spending is ultimately about spending a compulsory 2 percent of GDP on defense.”
Boko Haram attack in Nigeria. At least 81 people have been killed in a suspected Boko Haram attack in northeastern Nigeria on Tuesday, according to a statement by Borno state authorities. Nigerian military spokesman Sagir Musa said they are “committed to investigating the circumstances of these callous attacks by desperate Boko Haram criminals and the bandits on innocent civilians.” He added that the mass killing was not only carried out by Boko Haram but with the Islamic State’s West Africa branch, ISWAP, as well.
China exerts Zoom pressure. Video conferencing software giant Zoom temporarily closed an account of a U.S.-based China activist after he hosted an international call commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, Axios reports. According to Zoom, the account was shuttered to “comply with local laws,” suggesting Zoom bent to pressure from China. The activist, Zhou Fengsuo has run afoul of Chinese tech censorship before: His LinkedIn account was blocked from viewers in China in 2019.
Ghani speaks. Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will give a video address to a U.S.-based audience today in an event hosted by the Atlantic Council and the U.S. Institute of Peace. The speech comes just as the U.S. envoy, Zalmay Khalilzad, met with Ghani to advance the goal of intra-Afghan peace talks.


foreignpolicy--2020-06-11--India Is Hurtling Into a Coronavirus Crisis

Welcome to Foreign Policy ’ s South Asia Brief .
This week : India now has the fourth most coronavirus cases in the world , conflicting reports about the India-China standoff , Nepal votes on a new map , and a note about racism and skin color in South Asia .
Before you read on , a request for your thoughts .
This newsletter is nearly a year old now , and we ’ d love to hear from you to know what we can be doing better .
There are just a few questions , and it ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your time .
Click here .
And thanks for reading , as always .
As we predicted last week , India has continued to rise up in the rankings of countries with the most coronavirus cases .
Last week it was seventh ; this week it is fourth , with just shy of 300,000 confirmed cases .
But now a growing number of government officials admit things will get much worse , especially in New Delhi , which is fast becoming one of the main coronavirus hot spots in South Asia .
Total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days—much faster than the current national average of 22 .
On Tuesday , Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters that the city-state could have as many as 550,000 coronavirus cases by the end of July .
He added that the capital would need 80,000 hospital beds at that point—it has only 9,000 today .
Sisodia ’ s words come as reports continue to emerge of patients being turned away from hospitals in Delhi and in Mumbai .
Test , test , test .
But how ?
Right from the start of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the immense importance of testing .
Without data and information , after all , officials are flying blind .
FP ’ s Colm Quinn examined global testing data and found an unsurprising—but still shocking—correlation .
While countries with low average incomes— $ 1,025 and less—have tested an average of 0.13 percent of their populations , countries with high average incomes— $ 12,376 and higher—have tested 5.2 percent of their citizens .
Put another way , being in a rich country makes it 40 times more likely you can get a coronavirus test than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Most of South Asia ’ s countries fall under the World Bank ’ s “ lower middle income ” category—countries where 0.34 percent of citizens have been tested .
The debate over reopening .
South Asian countries have mostly reopened their economies , as we ’ ve reported .
As a result , the coronavirus crisis in the region is highly likely to accelerate .
The economist Ahmed Mushfiq Mobarak ’ s recent work has been focused on the complicated choices between lockdowns and the easing of restrictions .
In his latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points out that it ’ s important to consider that the majority of South Asians live in rural areas where work options fluctuate alongside the agrarian cycle .
Lawmakers should look closely at the so-called lean season—the period right before harvest when old grain stocks are depleted—and make sure that it doesn ’ t coincide with a period of lockdowns .
But one-size-fits-all policies won ’ t help .
As Mobarak puts it , “ governments should pursue smart containment strategies that pay attention to the regional variation in disease risk , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food security , and to the specific sectors the poor depend on for maintaining their livelihoods , instead of extending broad-based lockdowns that impose large human costs on the poor.
” Regional cases rising .
We ’ ve discussed India extensively , but keep an eye on Bangladesh and Pakistan , which together have a larger population than the United States .
The two countries now have a combined 200,000 cases , doubling around every two weeks , as our weekly chart details .
Both countries have largely lifted their lockdown restrictions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Reuters reports that Indian and Chinese military commanders have agreed to confidence-building measures such as pulling back some troops from each side of their disputed border .
The question is how much to believe these statements : Are they real , or simply face-saving measures ?
It ’ s difficult to say .
The journalist Ajai Shukla , a former army colonel , tweeted on Thursday , citing satellite imagery and other sources , that China had not removed any troops from the areas within Indian territory its military recently occupied .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anik Joshi makes the argument that one needs to examine the growing Pakistan-China friendship to properly assess the India-China relationship today .
“ India ’ s growingly comfortable relationship with the West heralds a clear choice in any global conflict , ” he writes , predicting more tensions between New Delhi and Beijing .
Cartographic war .
Keep an eye on this one .
Nepal ’ s Parliament will vote on a new map of its border with India this weekend , claiming a tiny portion of land on its northwest tip as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claimed that China is behind Nepal ’ s move to assert itself .
But India also published a new map of the region last November , taking in some disputed land with Nepal under Indian territory .
Landlocked Nepal depends on imports from India , which effectively blockaded the country in 2015 over ethnic minority issues , stirring up heavy resentment against New Delhi , but it is also increasingly beholden to China , which has begun to make large investments in Nepal ’ s infrastructure .
Sri Lanka ’ s election .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Aug. 5 , representing a four-month delay from the originally scheduled date in April .
Sri Lanka has so far seen among the slowest rates of viral spread in South Asia , likely because of its relatively strong health care system , a small and manageable population , and the fact that it is an island country .
Global protests over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis have set off important discussions across South Asia about race and caste in society .
For example , many writers have drawn attention to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ film stars to promote the idea that whiter skin is somehow better than dark skin .
And that brings me to my question this week : What is the estimated size of the global skin-lightening-cream industry ?
Scroll down for the answer—and some more thoughts and reading on racism in South Asia .
Pakistan ’ s budget .
Prime Minister Imran Khan presents his second annual budget on Friday .
It won ’ t make for pretty viewing .
GDP for the year ending in May is expected to contract by 0.4 percent—far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ growth , as Reuters reports .
While Islamabad has reversed its lockdown measures , the World Health Organization says the country should adopt a more nimble “ two weeks off and two weeks on strategy ” to suppress the spread of the virus .
Such a move would not only be unpopular but would also go against a recent Supreme Court order to reopen the economy .
A different bank crisis .
“ Employees are in panic mode , ” according to an umbrella body of bank unions in India .
While the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loans rise steeply , bankers are being forced to spend more time in the office—and they ’ re worried about safety .
At least 11 bank employees have died of COVID-19 so far across the country .
D ) $ 4 billion .
I couldn ’ t find authoritative data , but several sources point to a 2017 study putting the global market for skin lightening products at $ 4.075 billion and estimating that it was expected to double in size by 2026 .
A few more thoughts : The former West Indies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this week to point out how his colleagues in India ’ s T20 cricket league used a derogatory word as a nickname for him .
But why did they do so ?
I enjoyed reading Sambit Bal ’ s thought-provoking essay in Cricinfo about the regional obsession with fair skin and also the “ subcontinental abomination … of addressing people by their physical attributes.
” Some of the words and phrases people use , Bal writes , “ might not feel racist in the way the world understands it .
But even without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ colourism carries some of the worst features of racism ; it is discriminatory , derogatory and dehumanising.
” Well put , and I hope Bal ’ s views are widely read and pondered over .
You can read the full essay here .
That ’ s it for this week .
We welcome your feedback at newsletters @ foreignpolicy.com .
You can find older editions of South Asia Brief here .
For more from FP , subscribe or sign up for our other newsletters .

Welcome to Foreign Policy’s South Asia Brief. This week: India now has the fourth most coronavirus cases in the world, conflicting reports about the India-China standoff , Nepal votes on a new map , and a note about racism and skin color in South Asia.
Welcome to Foreign Policy’s South Asia Brief. This week: India now has the fourth most coronavirus cases in the world, conflicting reports about the India-China standoff, Nepal votes on a new map, and a note about racism and skin color in South Asia.
Before you read on, a request for your thoughts. This newsletter is nearly a year old now, and we’d love to hear from you to know what we can be doing better. There are just a few questions, and it’ll take no more than three minutes of your time. Click here. And thanks for reading, as always.
Delhi Raises the Alarm As we predicted last week, India has continued to rise up in the rankings of countries with the most coronavirus cases. Last week it was seventh; this week it is fourth, with just shy of 300,000 confirmed cases. But now a growing number of government officials admit things will get much worse, especially in New Delhi, which is fast becoming one of the main coronavirus hot spots in South Asia. Total cases in Delhi are doubling every 12 days—much faster than the current national average of 22. On Tuesday, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters that the city-state could have as many as 550,000 coronavirus cases by the end of July. He added that the capital would need 80,000 hospital beds at that point—it has only 9,000 today. Sisodia’s words come as reports continue to emerge of patients being turned away from hospitals in Delhi and in Mumbai. Test, test, test. But how? Right from the start of the pandemic, health experts have pointed out the immense importance of testing. Without data and information, after all, officials are flying blind. FP’s Colm Quinn examined global testing data and found an unsurprising—but still shocking—correlation. While countries with low average incomes—$1,025 and less—have tested an average of 0.13 percent of their populations, countries with high average incomes—$12,376 and higher—have tested 5.2 percent of their citizens. Put another way, being in a rich country makes it 40 times more likely you can get a coronavirus test than if you were in a poor country. Most of South Asia’s countries fall under the World Bank’s “lower middle income” category—countries where 0.34 percent of citizens have been tested. The debate over reopening. South Asian countries have mostly reopened their economies, as we’ve reported. As a result, the coronavirus crisis in the region is highly likely to accelerate. The economist Ahmed Mushfiq Mobarak’s recent work has been focused on the complicated choices between lockdowns and the easing of restrictions. In his latest article for FP this week, Mobarak points out that it’s important to consider that the majority of South Asians live in rural areas where work options fluctuate alongside the agrarian cycle. Lawmakers should look closely at the so-called lean season—the period right before harvest when old grain stocks are depleted—and make sure that it doesn’t coincide with a period of lockdowns. But one-size-fits-all policies won’t help. As Mobarak puts it, “governments should pursue smart containment strategies that pay attention to the regional variation in disease risk, to specific activities that are critical for maintaining food security, and to the specific sectors the poor depend on for maintaining their livelihoods, instead of extending broad-based lockdowns that impose large human costs on the poor.” Regional cases rising. We’ve discussed India extensively, but keep an eye on Bangladesh and Pakistan, which together have a larger population than the United States. The two countries now have a combined 200,000 cases, doubling around every two weeks, as our weekly chart details. Both countries have largely lifted their lockdown restrictions.
What We’re Following
The India-China standoff. Citing unnamed officials, Reuters reports that Indian and Chinese military commanders have agreed to confidence-building measures such as pulling back some troops from each side of their disputed border. The question is how much to believe these statements: Are they real, or simply face-saving measures? It’s difficult to say. The journalist Ajai Shukla, a former army colonel, tweeted on Thursday, citing satellite imagery and other sources, that China had not removed any troops from the areas within Indian territory its military recently occupied. And writing in FP this week, Anik Joshi makes the argument that one needs to examine the growing Pakistan-China friendship to properly assess the India-China relationship today. “India’s growingly comfortable relationship with the West heralds a clear choice in any global conflict,” he writes, predicting more tensions between New Delhi and Beijing.
Cartographic war. Keep an eye on this one. Nepal’s Parliament will vote on a new map of its border with India this weekend, claiming a tiny portion of land on its northwest tip as Nepali territory. Some Indian media have claimed that China is behind Nepal’s move to assert itself. But India also published a new map of the region last November, taking in some disputed land with Nepal under Indian territory. Landlocked Nepal depends on imports from India, which effectively blockaded the country in 2015 over ethnic minority issues, stirring up heavy resentment against New Delhi, but it is also increasingly beholden to China, which has begun to make large investments in Nepal’s infrastructure.
Sri Lanka’s election. Colombo has decided to hold general elections on Aug. 5, representing a four-month delay from the originally scheduled date in April. Sri Lanka has so far seen among the slowest rates of viral spread in South Asia, likely because of its relatively strong health care system, a small and manageable population, and the fact that it is an island country.
Question of the Week
Global protests over the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis have set off important discussions across South Asia about race and caste in society. For example, many writers have drawn attention to the skin-whitening industry, which employs popular film stars to promote the idea that whiter skin is somehow better than dark skin. And that brings me to my question this week: What is the estimated size of the global skin-lightening-cream industry?
A) $4 million
B) $40 million
C) $400 million
D) $4 billion
Scroll down for the answer—and some more thoughts and reading on racism in South Asia.
South Asia Inc.
Pakistan’s budget. Prime Minister Imran Khan presents his second annual budget on Friday. It won’t make for pretty viewing. GDP for the year ending in May is expected to contract by 0.4 percent—far below the pre-pandemic forecast of 3.3 percent growth, as Reuters reports. While Islamabad has reversed its lockdown measures, the World Health Organization says the country should adopt a more nimble “two weeks off and two weeks on strategy” to suppress the spread of the virus. Such a move would not only be unpopular but would also go against a recent Supreme Court order to reopen the economy.
A different bank crisis. “Employees are in panic mode,” according to an umbrella body of bank unions in India. While the country eases its lockdowns and requests for loans rise steeply, bankers are being forced to spend more time in the office—and they’re worried about safety. At least 11 bank employees have died of COVID-19 so far across the country.
And the Answer Is…
D) $4 billion. I couldn’t find authoritative data, but several sources point to a 2017 study putting the global market for skin lightening products at $4.075 billion and estimating that it was expected to double in size by 2026.
A few more thoughts: The former West Indies cricket captain Darren Sammy took to Instagram this week to point out how his colleagues in India’s T20 cricket league used a derogatory word as a nickname for him. But why did they do so? I enjoyed reading Sambit Bal’s thought-provoking essay in Cricinfo about the regional obsession with fair skin and also the “subcontinental abomination … of addressing people by their physical attributes.” Some of the words and phrases people use, Bal writes, “might not feel racist in the way the world understands it. But even without the scars of slavery and subjugation, colourism carries some of the worst features of racism; it is discriminatory, derogatory and dehumanising.” Well put, and I hope Bal’s views are widely read and pondered over. You can read the full essay here.
That’s it for this week.


foreignpolicy--2020-06-11--Trump Order Treats International Prosecutors Like War Criminals

The Trump administration on Thursday announced economic sanctions and visa travel restrictions against staff of the International Criminal Court investigating possible war crimes by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan , opening the ICC ’ s lawyers to measures normally reserved for the world ’ s worst perpetrators of human rights abuses .
Human rights advocates quickly condemned President Donald Trump ’ s executive order on the ICC , which escalated a long-standing feud between Washington and the international body .
Legal experts said the language of the order is overly broad and raises the question whether other organizations that work with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. sanctions under its authority .
“ The executive order as written is highly problematic , ” said Rob Berschinski , a former State Department official under the Obama administration now with Human Rights First , an advocacy organization .
“ Among other things , it appears to put foreign persons within human rights organizations at risk of sanctions , if those persons have conducted research and reporting on alleged criminal activity by U.S. or allied forces that is used to ‘ assist ’ an ICC investigation.
” Trump announced sanctions on ICC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into allegations of rape and torture by U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan and at CIA interrogation sites .
Senior administration officials bashed the court ’ s investigation as unjustified and egged on by U.S. foreign adversaries , while suggesting the ICC is riven with mismanagement and corruption .
“ The ICC ’ s effort to target American servicemen and women and other public servants are unfounded , illegitimate , and make a mockery of justice , ” National Security Advisor Robert O ’ Brien said in a statement given before press alongside Secretary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Defense Mark Esper , and Attorney General Bill Barr .
All took turns at the podium rebuking the ICC .
“ We are concerned that foreign powers , like Russia , are also manipulating the ICC in pursuit of their own agenda , ” said Barr .
The Justice Department received “ substantial , credible information that raises serious concerns about a long history of financial corruption and malfeasance at the highest levels of the office of the prosecutor , ” he said .
None of the senior officials gave immediate specific examples @ @ @ @ @ @ @ none took questions from the press after making their statements .
Human rights advocates said the administration ’ s decision diminished American standing on rule of law globally and undercut U.S. efforts to bring war criminals to justice in places like Myanmar , where the state has sanctioned a genocide against its Rohingya Muslim minorities .
“ When we ’ re trying to support accountability in Myanmar , and the ICC is looking at that situation and has asserted jurisdiction over that , how do we then turn around and sanction the very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past ?
” said Beth Van Schaack , a Stanford University law professor and former State Department official who worked on war crimes prevention .
Legal experts also rebuked the president for levying sanctions against staff of an international institution that are normally applied to war criminals and autocrats .
“ We ’ re talking about sanctioning people who are international civil servants who are carrying out the mandate of an international organization into which [ 123 ] states are party to , ” said David Kaye , a professor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.N. special rapporteur on freedom of expression .
Unlike many of its allies around the world , the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute that created the ICC , and both Republican and Democratic administrations in the past have criticized the body .
Afghanistan is a party to the statute , meaning crimes committed in Afghanistan could fall under ICC jurisdiction .
Esper said that U.S. troops are already subject to a stringent legal system , and the United States will handle any wrongdoing on the part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civilian justice system .
“ Rest assured that the men and women of the United States Armed Forces will never appear before the ICC—nor will they ever be subjected to the judgments of unaccountable international bodies , ” he said .
But some military law experts struggled to see how the ICC would be able to target U.S. troops .
While the probe ’ s scope includes the alleged torture of Afghans by American forces and the CIA , the world body has yet to announce a tangible case that would implicate Americans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recently ruled that war crimes committed in Afghanistan are subject to ICC jurisdiction , at this time I don ’ t reasonably foresee an instance where the U.S. would ever consent to ICC jurisdiction for war crimes allegations against U.S. service members , ” said Mark Nevitt , a professor at the U.S .
Naval Academy and a retired Navy judge advocate general .
“ This [ executive order ] might be a little bit of a solution in search of a problem , but it does highlight the president ’ s enormously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his disposal .
Congress should consider updating the [ National Emergencies Act ] or [ International Emergency Economic Powers Act ] to reflect their comfort level in delegating such authorities to the president , ” he said , referring to the two emergency authorities Trump invoked on Thursday to pursue sanctions against the ICC .
Other experts say it ’ s too soon to tell how the executive order will be carried out , particularly in an administration with a penchant for firing off “ shoot first , ask questions later ” executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rescinded following further legal scrutiny .
“ A part of it will be how the U.S. chooses to follow through with this , ” said Akila Radhakrishnan , a human rights lawyer and the head of the New York-based advocacy organization Global Justice Center .
“ There ’ s a lot of announcements the administration makes , and then there ’ s only a deep and careful unwinding it actually means and how it could be done afterward.
” Both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have sought to curb the White House @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump has used to divert billions of dollars in federal funds to build a wall on the southern U.S. border and threaten tariff hikes against Mexico , money that Congress had denied .
Republican Sen. Mike Lee floated the so-called “ Article One Act ” last year that would force executive-invoked emergencies to expire within a month unless extended by Congress , amid worries that the moves are diminishing Congress ’ s role as a coequal branch of government .
As it stands , Congress can ’ t void Trump-declared emergencies without veto-proof @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American troops and spies for suspected abuses could be handled by the U.S. justice system , experts told Foreign Policy , but U.S. courts have yet to try any cases over the CIA ’ s so-called rendition program established during the George W. Bush administration after the 9/11 attacks .
Under this program , 119 terrorism suspects were held by the U.S .
The program later became the target of a Senate probe , but the debate over rendition and torture has reemerged in the four years since Trump first ran for president @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2016 Republican debates and tapping Gina Haspel as CIA chief despite her role in running an agency black site where such interrogation techniques were used .
“ There are totally valid reasons to criticize the [ ICC ] probe , because there is a functioning American justice system , ” said Scott Anderson , a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former State Department attorney-advisor .
But Anderson , who served at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad under President Barack Obama , added that since Afghanistan chose to join the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is part of the cost of doing business for American troops .
“ Afghanistan chose to join the ICC , ” he said .
“ The Americans have continued to operate there .
That ’ s a sovereignty entity , and that ’ s the bargain that the United States struck.
” While U.S. animus toward the ICC has shot up during the Trump administration , it long predates the 45th U.S. president .
Leading up to the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq , in 2002 Congress passed the American Service Members Protection @ @ @ @ @ @ @ send in active-duty American troops into Holland to rescue their fellow service members if they were detained at The Hague .
The law , which was signed by then-President George W. Bush , remains on the books and has earned the nickname “ Hague Invasion Act ” from international law experts .

The Trump administration on Thursday announced economic sanctions and visa travel restrictions against staff of the International Criminal Court investigating possible war crimes by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, opening the ICC’s lawyers to measures normally reserved for the world’s worst perpetrators of human rights abuses.
The Trump administration on Thursday announced economic sanctions and visa travel restrictions against staff of the International Criminal Court investigating possible war crimes by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, opening the ICC’s lawyers to measures normally reserved for the world’s worst perpetrators of human rights abuses.
Human rights advocates quickly condemned President Donald Trump’s executive order on the ICC, which escalated a long-standing feud between Washington and the international body. Legal experts said the language of the order is overly broad and raises the question whether other organizations that work with the ICC could theoretically be targeted by U.S. sanctions under its authority.
“The executive order as written is highly problematic,” said Rob Berschinski, a former State Department official under the Obama administration now with Human Rights First, an advocacy organization. “Among other things, it appears to put foreign persons within human rights organizations at risk of sanctions, if those persons have conducted research and reporting on alleged criminal activity by U.S. or allied forces that is used to ‘assist’ an ICC investigation.”
Trump announced sanctions on ICC officials after the Netherlands-based organization greenlit investigations into allegations of rape and torture by U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan and at CIA interrogation sites. Senior administration officials bashed the court’s investigation as unjustified and egged on by U.S. foreign adversaries, while suggesting the ICC is riven with mismanagement and corruption.
“The ICC’s effort to target American servicemen and women and other public servants are unfounded, illegitimate, and make a mockery of justice,” National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien said in a statement given before press alongside Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, and Attorney General Bill Barr. All took turns at the podium rebuking the ICC.
“We are concerned that foreign powers, like Russia, are also manipulating the ICC in pursuit of their own agenda,” said Barr. The Justice Department received “substantial, credible information that raises serious concerns about a long history of financial corruption and malfeasance at the highest levels of the office of the prosecutor,” he said. None of the senior officials gave immediate specific examples to back up their allegations, and none took questions from the press after making their statements.
Human rights advocates said the administration’s decision diminished American standing on rule of law globally and undercut U.S. efforts to bring war criminals to justice in places like Myanmar, where the state has sanctioned a genocide against its Rohingya Muslim minorities. “When we’re trying to support accountability in Myanmar, and the ICC is looking at that situation and has asserted jurisdiction over that, how do we then turn around and sanction the very individuals who are doing what we praised in the past?” said Beth Van Schaack, a Stanford University law professor and former State Department official who worked on war crimes prevention.
Legal experts also rebuked the president for levying sanctions against staff of an international institution that are normally applied to war criminals and autocrats. “We’re talking about sanctioning people who are international civil servants who are carrying out the mandate of an international organization into which [123] states are party to,” said David Kaye, a professor of law at University of California Irvine and the U.N. special rapporteur on freedom of expression.
Unlike many of its allies around the world, the United States is not a party to the Rome Statute that created the ICC, and both Republican and Democratic administrations in the past have criticized the body. Afghanistan is a party to the statute, meaning crimes committed in Afghanistan could fall under ICC jurisdiction.
Esper said that U.S. troops are already subject to a stringent legal system, and the United States will handle any wrongdoing on the part of its personnel through the U.S. military and civilian justice system. “Rest assured that the men and women of the United States Armed Forces will never appear before the ICC—nor will they ever be subjected to the judgments of unaccountable international bodies,” he said.
But some military law experts struggled to see how the ICC would be able to target U.S. troops. While the probe’s scope includes the alleged torture of Afghans by American forces and the CIA, the world body has yet to announce a tangible case that would implicate Americans.
“While the ICC Appeals Chamber recently ruled that war crimes committed in Afghanistan are subject to ICC jurisdiction, at this time I don’t reasonably foresee an instance where the U.S. would ever consent to ICC jurisdiction for war crimes allegations against U.S. service members,” said Mark Nevitt, a professor at the U.S. Naval Academy and a retired Navy judge advocate general. “This [executive order] might be a little bit of a solution in search of a problem, but it does highlight the president’s enormously powerful emergency powers that he has at his disposal. Congress should consider updating the [National Emergencies Act] or [International Emergency Economic Powers Act] to reflect their comfort level in delegating such authorities to the president,” he said, referring to the two emergency authorities Trump invoked on Thursday to pursue sanctions against the ICC.
Other experts say it’s too soon to tell how the executive order will be carried out, particularly in an administration with a penchant for firing off “shoot first, ask questions later” executive orders that are later watered down or rescinded following further legal scrutiny. “A part of it will be how the U.S. chooses to follow through with this,” said Akila Radhakrishnan, a human rights lawyer and the head of the New York-based advocacy organization Global Justice Center. “There’s a lot of announcements the administration makes, and then there’s only a deep and careful unwinding it actually means and how it could be done afterward.”
Both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have sought to curb the White House’s broad emergency authorities, which Trump has used to divert billions of dollars in federal funds to build a wall on the southern U.S. border and threaten tariff hikes against Mexico, money that Congress had denied. Republican Sen. Mike Lee floated the so-called “Article One Act” last year that would force executive-invoked emergencies to expire within a month unless extended by Congress, amid worries that the moves are diminishing Congress’s role as a coequal branch of government. As it stands, Congress can’t void Trump-declared emergencies without veto-proof supermajorities in both houses.
Cases against American troops and spies for suspected abuses could be handled by the U.S. justice system, experts told Foreign Policy, but U.S. courts have yet to try any cases over the CIA’s so-called rendition program established during the George W. Bush administration after the 9/11 attacks. Under this program, 119 terrorism suspects were held by the U.S.
The program later became the target of a Senate probe, but the debate over rendition and torture has reemerged in the four years since Trump first ran for president, defending the use of waterboarding in the 2016 Republican debates and tapping Gina Haspel as CIA chief despite her role in running an agency black site where such interrogation techniques were used.
“There are totally valid reasons to criticize the [ICC] probe, because there is a functioning American justice system,” said Scott Anderson, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former State Department attorney-advisor.
But Anderson, who served at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad under President Barack Obama, added that since Afghanistan chose to join the ICC in 2003, the legal scrutiny is part of the cost of doing business for American troops. “Afghanistan chose to join the ICC,” he said. “The Americans have continued to operate there. That’s a sovereignty entity, and that’s the bargain that the United States struck.”
While U.S. animus toward the ICC has shot up during the Trump administration, it long predates the 45th U.S. president. Leading up to the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, in 2002 Congress passed the American Service Members Protection Act that would allow the Pentagon to send in active-duty American troops into Holland to rescue their fellow service members if they were detained at The Hague. The law, which was signed by then-President George W. Bush, remains on the books and has earned the nickname “Hague Invasion Act” from international law experts.
Update, June 12, 2020: Afghanistan chose to join the ICC in 2003. A previous version of this article misstated the year the country deposited its instrument of accession.