Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.)'s revelation of the degree to which Iran abused our men and women in uniform after they pirated two U.S. Navy boats earlier this year underscores Barack Obama's, Joe Biden's, and John Kerry's willful dereliction of the duties of their offices.

The reference says:

The classified details behind Iran’s treatment of several U.S. sailors who were captured by the Islamic Republic during a tense standoff earlier this year are likely to shock the nation… Details of the abduction are likely to start an uproar in the nation and call into question the Obama administration’s handling of the incident, which many experts say violated international and maritime law.

There are no questions about the Obama administration's handling of the incident.  It is an objective fact that Barack Obama was derelict in his duty as commander in chief to protect our men and women in uniform from abuse and humiliation by third-world pirates to whom religious persecution, including state-sanctioned hanging of rape victims and gay people, is a way of life.  Genghis John the Khan Kerry, whose own testimony about the Vietnam War brands him a felon who should have been dishonorably discharged from the Navy, enabled the barbarians' savagery by thanking them "for their cooperation and quick response."

Iran Committed a War Crime

Here, as a matter of public record, is the official complaint I sent to the International Criminal Court on January 18, 2016.  The complaint cites a specific rule, in this case the Rome Statute to which Iran is a signatory, and also objective evidence that the Iranian pirates violated that rule.

To: Information and Evidence Unit

          Office of the Prosecutor
          Post Office Box 19519
          2500 CM The Hague
          The Netherlands otp.informationdesk "at" icc-cpi.int

I am writing to bring to your official attention the actions of the Iranian Navy last week with regard to its seizure of two U.S. Navy boats.

As shown here, Iran is a signatory to the Rome Statute, and is therefore subject to its provisions. 

Rome Statute: This is a formal complaint that Iran violated Article 8, War Crimes, 2 (c) (ii) “Committing outrages upon personal dignity, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment.”

As shown by this image (and similar ones), the Iranians essentially posted photographic proof that they committed outrages on the personal dignity of their prisoners, in particular humiliating and degrading treatment.

The Free Beacon alleges further, “Hossein Salami, deputy commander of the IRGC, which is responsible for boarding the U.S. ships and arresting the sailors, claimed in recent remarks, the “American sailors started crying after arrest, but the kindness of our Guard made them feel calm.” It adds from Ahmad Dolabi, an IRGC commander, “‘I saw the weakness, cowardice, and fear of American soldiers myself.” I cannot find this story in any mainstream media source, but the article references a Persian language publication from Iran itself. I cannot read it but, if it indeed says this, Iran has provided even more evidence that it committed the war crime in question. 

In addition, as stated correctly by U.S. News & World Report 

“…Finally, arbitrary arrest or detention is prohibited under international human rights law as is the transmission of "confession" videos of detainees for propaganda purposes as codified in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

The ICC acknowledged receipt of my complaint on February 1 with the reference number OTP-CR-31/16 and the statement,

The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court acknowledges receipt of your documents/letter.

This communication has been duly entered in the Communications Register of the Office. We will give consideration to this communication, as appropriate, in accordance with the provisions of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

Please note this acknowledgement letter does not mean an investigation has been opened, nor that an investigation will be opened by the Office of the Prosecutor.

As soon as a decision is reached, we will inform you, in writing, and provide you with reasons for this decision.

I have yet to receive a response, but it is now a matter of proven record that the ICC is aware of Iran's war crime.

William A. Levinson is the author of several books on business management, the most recent of which is The Expanded and Annotated My Life and Work: Henry Ford's Universal Code for World-Class Success.