http://atlanticsentinel.com/2009/12/clinton-speaks-on-human-rights/ Transatlantic Perspective Thu, 17 May 2012 16:11:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 http://atlanticsentinel.com/2009/12/clinton-speaks-on-human-rights/comment-page-1/#comment-127 Nick Ottens Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:20:48 +0000 http://atlanticsentinel.com/?p=481#comment-127 Not really no. As I mentioned in my article on Obama's Nobel Prize acceptance speech, it's pretty much the Bush Doctrine (promoting democracy overseas and all that) with a president that speeches better. The only difference seems to be that the Obama Administration intends to also stress human rights, though I'm skeptical as to how they will implement that with regards to China, Iran, North-Korea, etc. Not really no. As I mentioned in my article on Obama’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech, it’s pretty much the Bush Doctrine (promoting democracy overseas and all that) with a president that speeches better. The only difference seems to be that the Obama Administration intends to also stress human rights, though I’m skeptical as to how they will implement that with regards to China, Iran, North-Korea, etc.

]]> http://atlanticsentinel.com/2009/12/clinton-speaks-on-human-rights/comment-page-1/#comment-125 James Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:15:42 +0000 http://atlanticsentinel.com/?p=481#comment-125 "America has never fought a war against a democracy" is a slight para-phrase of the better established IR addage 'Democracies don't go to war with each other'. However, in the US's case they DO have their intelligence agencies back military juntas to defeat and overthrow elected governments, as the track record in South America shows. I'm the last person to complain about that as such, but the facts should probably be recognised. Venuzuela, for example. As much as Chavez is detestible, he was elected by his people and was criticised by some Washington Wallah of the previous administration as ' not having America's interests' at heart' which was an obviously hilarious statement. However, if this is to be the foundation for Obama’s foreign policy intentions then the power to him and Mrs Clinton, but does it really mean anything that new? “America has never fought a war against a democracy” is a slight para-phrase of the better established IR addage ‘Democracies don’t go to war with each other’. However, in the US’s case they DO have their intelligence agencies back military juntas to defeat and overthrow elected governments, as the track record in South America shows. I’m the last person to complain about that as such, but the facts should probably be recognised.
Venuzuela, for example. As much as Chavez is detestible, he was elected by his people and was criticised by some Washington Wallah of the previous administration as ‘ not having America’s interests’ at heart’ which was an obviously hilarious statement.
However, if this is to be the foundation for Obama’s foreign policy intentions then the power to him and Mrs Clinton, but does it really mean anything that new?

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