Why Russia Was Right to Veto the Malaysian Boeing Tribunal

... creation of several unconnected ad hoc tribunals with limited jurisdiction, bypassing the ICC and eroding its legitimacy. The International Criminal Tribunal for Malaysia Airlines would be just be one step in this long process. *** Establishing an ad hoc international tribunal for the MH-17 tragedy is a just cause in spirit, but a shot to the knee for international criminal justice. In resolving one single case, the tribunal would erode the legal system over the long term. This reason alone is why Russia’s veto in the UN Security Council on July 29 was the right choice. Any future motion by the Security Council to revote this resolution will be a detrimental move with a chance of possibly crippling international law in the future. Nevertheless,...