ABSTRACT

Relationship with the international human rights regime generally

Role in the creation of the ICC

Commitment and compliance

ICC commitment: assessing the explanatory power of the credible threat theory

Conclusion

This chapter expands on the prior case study chapters by exploring the International Criminal Court (ICC) ratification behavior of Canada, France, and the United Kingdom. Unlike the United States, but like Germany, all three states promptly committed to the ICC. Their decisions to join the court are consistent with the expectations of the credible threat theory because they all have domestic policies and practices that should enable them to comply with treaty terms. Indeed, they are all powerful democratic states with good human rights practices and strong domestic law enforcement institutions that follow the rule of law. 1