In Belgium (situated in Old-Europe, according to Rumsfeld) , foreigners could be trialed for severe crimes against humanity, even if these crimes were committed in another country.
This genocide -law (voted in 1993, amended in 1999 to make it more effective) has backfired on Belgium, because people with political motives aimed at active foreign statesmen (like Ariel Sharon). The countries involved were pretty upset by this.
Perhaps countries like Israel had every right to be upset, because who gave Belgium the right to judge?
Crimes have to be punished, but I think a permanent international court will have more chance to be taken seriously.
The complaints against US gen. Franks, Rice and Ashcroft and later even George W himself, jeopardised the future of Brussels as a diplomatic center. The US has ordered a study to evaluate the pros and cons of moving the NATO headquarters from Brussels to another NATO country. Most Belgians think this is the punishment we get for expressing our opinion in the Iraqi crisis and not the result of a ten year old law.
In a first move to satisfy Rumsfeld, they made the law only valid for crimes with a belgian link.
The Bush administration on the other hand, only wanted to settle with a complete withdrawal of the law.
The newly elected Belgian government gave in.
By the way... this trialtourism was very controversial in Belgium too, since Belgium can't handle its interior cases. Witnesses had to be flown over from all over the planet.
People sued included: Bush, Franks, Rice, Ashcroft (US), Sharon (Israel), Arafat (Palestina), Rafsandjani (Iran), Soeharto (Indonesia) and Hissène Habré (Chad).
Update 02/10/2001 the Sharon trial is admitted.
Update 04/10/2001 a case was filed against Fidel Castro by Cuban refugees, residing in the US.
Update 12/10/2001 "Total Fina" accused, first complaint against a company
Update 27/11/2001 on their turn, the Iraelis have filed a complaint against Yasser Arafat.
Update 27/06/2002 a Belgian court ruled that only people staying in Belgium can be trialed, meaning that most accused are off the hook!!
Update 13/02/2003 the appeal against this court ruling was won by the Palestinian victims. Sharon can be trialed in Belgium. This has caused a diplomatic incident between Belgium and Israël.
In April, the law was changed: now only cases in which Belgium or a Belgian citizen is involved will be accepted.
Update 15/02/2003 the sch*t hits the f*n: some Iraqi's filed a complaint against US general gen. Tommy Franks.
Update 11/06/2003 appearantly the Bush administration wants the NATO HQ to leave Belgium, because of the complaint against Franks (although the Belgian court moved the complaint to the US).
Update 22/06/03 the fear for the economical implications made the Belgian government bend over. The law was amended and has lost most of its international scope.
Update 14/07/03: the newly elected Belgian Government promises the Americans to withdraw the law.
My thoughts....
Welcome in the new world order, where the United States will no longer tolerate dissident voices or inconvenient laws from the rest of the world.