The NY Times actually noticed the FIFA issue finally. Not that it manages perspective.
Even as the US Justice Department extends its reach beyond US borders, US citizens should at least know how much this inflames opinion against the US. Bag one criminal and lose a nation's sympathy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/10/nyregion/growing-body-of-law-allows-prosecution-of-foreign-citizens-on-us-soil.html
"Defense lawyers also raised a question of due process, or whether trying the defendants in the United States was fair. Prosecutors responded that there was a link to the United States: The Shabab was a designated foreign terrorist group that had denounced the United States. Also, the prosecutors — Shreve Ariail, Seth D. DuCharme and Richard M. Tucker — cited a 2011 decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit: Defendants did not need to understand that they could be subject to criminal prosecution in the United States, “so long as they would reasonably understand that their conduct was criminal and subject them to prosecution somewhere.”"
Thing is, it isn't just terrorism cases. It's used for behaviour the US deems illegal that isn't illegal where the "crime" took place. eg certain bank crimes and computer hacking incidents.
Note that the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit implies that a foreigner ought to know US law and that the US has a right to extend its sway beyond US borders. Why?
If I am a Frenchman living in France and living within French law, why the heck should I bother myself with what a US court claims is its jurisdiction over me? I would hope my country would tell the US to bugger off.
Or put another way:
"Mrs May also said measures would be taken to enable a UK court to decide whether a person should stand trial in the UK or abroad - a so-called forum bar.
It would be designed to ensure extradition cases did not fall foul of "delays and satellite litigation", she said.
"I believe extradition decisions must not only be fair, they must be seen to be fair. And they must be made in open court where decisions can be challenged and explained," she said.
"That is why I have decided to introduce a forum bar. This will mean that where prosecution is possible in both the UK and in another state, the British courts will be able to bar prosecution overseas if they believe it is in the interests of justice to do so.""
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-19957138
This was the UK's answer to the the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. You don't have jurisdiction. Politely, bugger off.
Sometimes the US government seems to have little perspective.
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