In principle, the United States should follow international treaties only if it is a signatory to that specific treaty.

However, the Supreme Court of the United States cannot ignore international standards completely either. There are several reasons for this. The world is becoming more and more globalized. Large numbers of immigrants have flocked to the United States in the last several decades and likewise American military and the FBI increasingly carry out operations in the territories outside the jurisdiction of the United States. And sometimes persons who are citizens of other countries, either captured outside the U.S. Or within its territory, are tried in American courts. In these instances, it is not easy to ignore international laws and concerns.

The United States is also a signatory to numerous international treaties pertaining to the question of cruel and unusual punishment. If the United States is a signatory, then it is unconstitutional...
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