Skip to content

ABA's ICC Project/Ipsos Poll Shows Greater American Acceptance of the ICC and Support for ICC Investigation in Afghanistan

American understanding and support for the ICC continues to grow. Also, Americans are surprisingly supportive of an ICC investigation in Afghanistan regardless who may be investigated.


by

Washington, D.C., June 12, 2018 - The latest ABA’s ICC Project/Ipsos polling report makes clear that more Americans know about and support the ICC. In almost all categories of questions, Americans showed equal or more awareness of the ICC and support for the Court’s work in comparison to past polls. Specifically, there was a five percent uptick in the awareness of all Americans of the ICC (from 40% to 45%) since the July 2017 poll

When asked about US-ICC relations, 50% of Americans believe the US should join the ICC or get more involved in the Court, the same as in July 2017. An increased majority of Americans (63%) believe the US should dedicate resources, including financial, military and intelligence resources, to international organizations like the ICC that support human rights and that hold individuals accountable for mass atrocities. Only 20% believe the US should not join the Court. 

For this poll, Americans were asked about the ICC’s potential investigation in Afghanistan of alleged crimes committed by US military and intelligence personnel as well as members of the Taliban and Islamic State. Americans by large majority (68%) were supportive of an ICC investigation of militant extremist groups like the Taliban. Surprisingly, Americans were also more supportive (45%) than not (21%) of an ICC investigation that targeted Americans. The overall support for an ICC investigation in Afghanistan either did not change (50%), or was more favorable (31%), once it was explained that the investigation could include members from all of these parties. 

For more information on the most recent ABA’s ICC Project/Ipsos poll, please visit the polling report.
 

The American Bar Association’s (ABA) International Criminal Court (ICC) Project is an independent initiative of the ABA Center for Human Rights that advances international criminal justice and US-ICC relations through advocacy, education and practical legal assistance. For more information about the ABA’s ICC Project, please visit its website.

Surprisingly, Americans were also more supportive (45%) than not (21%) of an ICC investigation that targeted Americans.