ICC policy ties hands in Latin America

WASHINGTON, April 4 (UPI) -- U.S. military officials are advocating changes in the law that blackballs nations that won't give the United States immunity from war crimes court.

That law, passed in 2002, is particularly limiting the U.S. military's ability to work with South American governments. Twenty-two nations in the world have refused to sign bilateral agreements giving American service members blanket immunity from the International Criminal Court. Half of those are in Latin America.

The law prohibits security and military assistance funds from going to nations that will not sign the immunity agreements.

The issue is becoming especially important as relations with Venezuela worsen. Venezuela is using its wealth and local influence to cement relationships and shape events, and the United States' options to counter Venezuela are limited.

U.S. Southern Commander Gen. Bantz Craddock told Congress in March China is also stepping in to fill the void left by the American policy.

"Extra-hemispheric actors are filling the void left by restricted U.S. military engagement with partner nations. We now risk losing contact and interoperatibility with a generation of military classmates in many nations of the region, including several leading countries," he said.