Bush's Words On Liberty Don't Mesh With Policies

[papau]

Do we go to war with Morocco and Bahrain because they have begun to crack down on human rights groups?


http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A24581-2005Jan20?language=printer



washingtonpost.com
Bush's Words On Liberty Don't Mesh With Policies
U.S. Maintains Close Ties With Repressive Nations
By Glenn Kessler and Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, January 21, 2005; Page A25


President Bush's soaring rhetoric yesterday that the United States will promote the growth of democratic movements and institutions worldwide is at odds with the administration's increasingly close relations with repressive governments in every corner of the world.

Some of the administration's allies in the war against terrorism -- including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Uzbekistan -- are ranked by the State Department as among the worst human rights abusers. The president has proudly proclaimed his friendship with Russian President Vladimir Putin while remaining largely silent about Putin's dismantling of democratic institutions in the past four years. The administration, eager to enlist China as an ally in the effort to restrain North Korea's nuclear ambitions, has played down human rights concerns there, as well.

Bush's speech "brought to a high level the gap between the rhetoric and reality in U.S. foreign policy," said Thomas Carothers, co-author of a new book, "Uncharted Journey: Promoting Democracy in the Middle East."

"The rhetoric is seamless, but the policy is very muddled. In fact, the war on terrorism has pushed the U.S. to be friendlier with nondemocratic regimes," said Carothers, director of the Democracy and Rule of Law Project at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.<snip>

[liberal N proud]

1. Remember, what ever bush says, you can count on the opposite

happening.

[BlueEyedSon]

2. Rule 2: accuse others of committing your worst crimes/policies.

You nailed rule 1 which is always claim to be doing the opposite of whatever you are actually doing.....

[ixion]

3. Rule 3: Never let your opponent frame the debate

because doing so could lead to a breach of rules 1 and 2.

[indepat]

4. The gap between the rhetoric and reality in U.S. foreign policy has

been at a high level for more than four years.