Policy and Rhetoric : Foreign and Domestic

Foreign and Domestic

Publication date: 2021-08-18

Here is a little deconstructive analysis of western political narratives.

Let's assume that the "west" cares about democracy, the rule of law, and human rights.

Together, the European Union and the United States are an anchor for democracy, peace, and security around the world, to peacefully prevent and resolve conflicts, uphold the rule of law and international law, and promote human rights for all ...

[Paragraph 24, italics are mine].

If one wishes to advance these ideals then there are two natural places to start, at home where laws can be made, or with one's allies with which one supposedly has more influence.

The USA, the self-proclaimed "leader of the free world" has many interesting allies, including Saudi Arabia, Israel and the UK.

For issue #1, democracy, what pressure has the USA applied to Saudi to change its governance structure to include any form of democracy? On the human rights front all of the liberal press is screaming about women's rights in Afghanistan. What pressure has the USA placed on Saudi to improve the rights of women there? The theocratic monarchy still pays men in silly costumes to wield big swords to behead people (women) in public who have been convicted of witchcraft.

Also on the "human rights" front, what pressure has the USA exerted on its special ally Israel to respect the rights of the native population, the Palestinians? The natives are segregated, subjugated, infiltrated, incarcerated and bombed.

Another "special relationship" ally is Britain. On the "rule of law" front the USA is keeping a journalist locked up in maximum security prison, serving no sentence, for publishing the truth. At the same time, the UK are considering bolstering their Official Secrets act and upping the criminal punishment to 14 years for journalists publishing the truth. Their logic is that journalists are worse than spies because they actually publish the information, and thus more people learn about it. This is "put a fire cracker in the back of your head and light it" logic.

Democracy, the rule of law, and human rights are for our enemies, not our allies: foreign policy for them and rhetoric for us.

[Quoting myself].

Sources

U.S.-EU Summit Statement, USA Executive, The White House, 2021-06-15

Politics of Saudi Arabia, Wikipedia

Saudi woman beheaded for 'witchcraft and sorcery', Mohammed Jamjoom and Saad Abedine, CNN, 2011-12-14

A Threshold Crossed, Human Rights Watch, 2021-04-27

Official Secrets Act: UK government has a long history of suppressing journalism to hide its misdeeds, Paul Lashmar, The Conversation, 2021-07-27

Saigon II: US Flees Afghanistan, Richard Medhurst