I've got a riddle for you Max. The doctor was his mother? No, although that is a popular answer to riddles.

What kind of court has no cops, no way to arrest people or compel witnesses, and no way to enforce its rulings.

It sounds like a court that I would not take very seriously if it sent me a summons.

The answer is a tennis court.

You're not alone in feeling that way about this particular house of justice.

That feels like a hint.

Here's another hint.

Two people who share your view of the court in question are Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

and Hamas leader Yaya-Sinwar.

Oh, duh, it's the International Criminal Court. Netanyahu and Hamas leader Yaya Synwar.

Oh, duh, it's the International Criminal Court.

A body with less power than a small town traffic court

and yet somehow has more authority than any Supreme Court.

Now there's your riddle. I'm Max Fisher and I'm

Aaron Ryan. This is how we got here a new series where we explore a big question

behind the week's headlines and tell a story that answers that question.

Our question this week,

does the international criminal court actually matter?

It's never a good sign when you're asking

whether the world's paramount arbiter of war crimes and human rights is maybe

bullshit. Well it's a question that world leaders think about a lot too because the

question of how real this court is or isn't matters a lot for what those leaders

...