U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who voted in 2002 for the U.S. to invade Iraq on specious WMD claims, and who reiterated in 2004 that he would do so again, even if he knew there were not weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, has really laid into Russia on the Obama administration’s behalf.
Just listen to this tongue lashing:
“You just don’t in the 21st century behave in 19th century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped up pre-text.”
[…]
“It’s an incredible act of aggression. It is really a stunning, willful choice by President (Vladimir) Putin to invade another country. Russia is in violation of the sovereignty of Ukraine. Russia is in violation of its international obligations.”
Now, very few disagree with Kerry, or the United States’ position, on what is currently happening as Russia prepares to invade Ukraine. I’m certainly aghast at what’s occurring.
But seriously? You just don’t in the 21st century behave in 19th century fashion by invading another country on completely trumped up pre-text.
Apparently, you do. The United States does. Which makes this international posturing from a position of moral superiority so … uninspiring at best, and laughable at worst.
The U.S. has for too long had a foreign policy stance that amounts to little more than this: Do as I say, not as I do.
I guess that’s 21st-century global leadership, American style.
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David Harris-Gershon is author of the memoir What Do You Buy the Children of the Terrorist Who Tried to Kill Your Wife?, just out from Oneworld Publications.
Follow him on Twitter @David_EHG.
Hypocrisy at its blatant worst! And there’s our record invading Native American lands and many Carribean countries. When will our country realize that we are not righteously unique as we play out power politics in our world?
When it comes to hypocrisy America is certainly not exceptional. And my answer to the question is, not in my lifetime.
When I first heard the quote I could only think, “What a way to give the world a laugh”.
Just when you think you’ve heard it all, you hear this outrageous hypocrisy. Is this what is meant by the arrogance of power?
It’s a pity the word “invasion” figures so prominently here. What is really wrong of course is the Russian annexation of Crimea. Russia is not simply invading the territory; it will hold it and prevent it from being part of the western leaning Kiev government. Because Russia does this on the pretext of rescuing Russian nationals, who are in no danger, this is indeed a cynical ploy, a crime. That America acted badly elsewhere seems to me irrelevant to this point. Is Kerry being criticized then for not choosing his words more carefully? A minor matter I would think.