The United States Government Starts a Broad Strategy to Weaken the International Criminal Court
美國政府展開全面策略以削弱國際刑事法院
Introduction
The administration of President Donald Trump has announced a planned effort to stop the International Criminal Court (ICC) from operating effectively in order to protect American sovereignty.
唐納·川普總統的政府已宣布了一項計劃，旨在阻止國際刑事法院（ICC）有效運作，以保護美國主權。
Main Body
The United States believes that the ICC interferes too much with national independence. This position is based on the fact that the U.S. has not signed the Rome Statute, which is the treaty that created the court. However, the ICC claims it still has the power to investigate U.S. citizens in countries that are members. Tensions increased because of a 2020 investigation into U.S. personnel in Afghanistan and the issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli officials in November 2024.
美國認為國際刑事法院對國家獨立干預過多。這一立場是基於美國未簽署創立該法院的《羅馬規約》。然而，國際刑事法院聲稱，對於在成員國內的美國公民，其仍擁有調查權。由於 2020 年對美國在阿富汗人員的調查，以及 2024 年 11 月對以色列官員發出逮捕令，導致緊張局勢升溫。
To reduce these threats, the State Department has proposed a coordinated government response. These measures include using more sanctions, travel bans, and canceling visas for ICC staff. Furthermore, the administration plans to use diplomatic pressure on partner nations, especially those that receive U.S. military aid, to reject the court's authority. Consequently, countries that continue to support the ICC may face stricter relations with the U.S.
為了減少這些威脅，國務院提出了一項協調的政府回應。這些措施包括採取更多制裁、旅行禁令以及取消國際刑事法院職員的簽證。此外，政府計劃對合作夥伴國家（尤其是接收美國軍事援助的國家）施加外交壓力，要求其拒絕法院的管轄權。因此，繼續支持國際刑事法院的國家可能會面臨與美國更緊張的關係。
Some experts suggest that the U.S. is acting preemptively, as the ICC has not taken any new actions against U.S. interests since January 2025. While some believe the U.S. is taking advantage of internal problems within the ICC to make the court fail, human rights advocates argue that these actions damage the international legal system established after World War II.
一些專家認為美國是在採取預防性行動，因為國際刑事法院自 2025 年 1 月以來尚未採取任何針對美國利益的新行動。雖然有人認為美國是在利用國際刑事法院內部的問題使其失敗，但人權倡導者認為，這些行動損害了第二次世界大戰後建立的國際法律體系。
Conclusion
The United States is currently using diplomatic, economic, and legal pressure to systematically weaken the ICC.
美國目前正利用外交、經濟和法律壓力，系統性地削弱國際刑事法院。
Vocabulary Learning
The 'Cause and Effect' Upgrade
An A2 student usually connects ideas with 'because' or 'so'. To reach B2, you need Logical Connectors. These words act like bridges, making your writing sound professional and fluid rather than like a list of simple sentences.
⚡ The Power Shift
Look at how the text moves from a reason to a result. Instead of saying "The U.S. wants to protect itself, so they use sanctions," the text uses:
*"Consequently, countries that continue to support the ICC may face stricter relations..."
Why this matters: Consequently tells the reader that the result is a direct, logical outcome of the previous action. It is a 'high-level' replacement for 'so'.
🛠️ Building Your B2 Toolset
From this article, we can extract three different ways to link complex ideas:
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Adding Information:
Furthermore- A2 style: "They use sanctions. They also use travel bans."
- B2 style: "They use sanctions. Furthermore, they plan to use diplomatic pressure."
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Showing Contrast:
While- A2 style: "Some people think X. But other people think Y."
- B2 style: "While some believe the U.S. is taking advantage... human rights advocates argue..."
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The Result:
Consequently- A2 style: "The U.S. doesn't like the court, so it weakens it."
- B2 style: "The U.S. disagrees with the court's authority; consequently, it is implementing sanctions."
💡 Pro-Tip for Growth
Stop using 'and', 'but', and 'so' at the start of every sentence. Replace them with these three anchors to immediately shift your tone from 'Basic' to 'Upper-Intermediate'.