The new U.S. proposal would ban for 12 months "any investigations or prosecutions" of participants in U.N.-sanctioned peacekeeping operations from countries like the United States that have not ratified the Rome treaty formalizing the court. It also "expresses the intention to renew the request ... for further 12-month periods for as long as may be necessary." I wonder if we said that with a straight face. "Ummm, how about if we agree to doing things our way for a year rather than forever." "Okay, that works. We have a deal." "Great! By the way, we'll be requesting these 1 year stays forever-- or else we'll pull out of this thing." "Huh, I thought we had a deal?"