[I think this is the most important thing that I have to do in my life.] What about Bush and Blair? Why is there no action taken against both of them for killing innocent civilians in Iraq, Afghnistan and God knows where? The US is imposing on others while it is a liberty to do all sorts of atrocities at its whimps and fancies. Who gave the US the right to do so? Are the rest of the world a third class citizen of the world. I suppose Israel is first class, the US is second class and the rest of the world is third class.
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Are you trying to find someone there who can help?
I cannot do that. My job is to collect the evidence and show the facts. Now the judge has decided that Bashir is committing extermination. Can a leader be a leader if he is leading [the extermination] of his own people? History has shown no. Bashir now is tainted. The court is not going away.
Does the criticism bother you?
I'm the prosecutor. I don't need [to win] votes. I had to ignore it, because I was sure that what I did was what I had to do. There is no other way to do it.
What else are you working on?
We have the Lubanga trial [against former Congolese warlord Thomas Lubanga Dyilo], which we hope to finish in June. We have another two trials coming. And we are having an impact even in countries we don't work in. In Kenya, for example, I've been on the front pages of the newspapers [in connection with investigations in post-election violence]. In Colombia, [officials] say they are prosecuting more cases there because they don't want the court intervening. Russia has started to send us communications about Georgia. The people of Sri Lanka have come to me, even though they are not part of the [ICC] system. So have Hamas in Gaza.
The most important impact of this court is that it provides incentives to the national authorities to behave better. That is the beauty of this global court: It's setting a limit in international relations—no more war crimes, no more crimes against humanity, no more genocide. That is what we are doing.
Is there anything you can do about the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe?
We don't have jurisdiction in Zimbabwe. The only way I could do anything there is if the Security Council refers the case, as they did in Darfur.
With President Barack Obama in office, do you think Washington will join the ICC?
It's a national decision. It's not my business. Of course, in the long term the court aspires to universality. But my job is to make my cases.
You've sold your law practice and given up a position at Harvard to take this job. What will you do after your term as prosecutor?
I think this is the most important thing that I have to do in my life.
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