America Supports Human Rights Abuses

Can we have a show of hands - how many people feel that America is a supporter of human rights around the world?  Most Americans feel that our country is, overall, a force for good.  Undoubtedly, the US government does a lot of good all over the world.  But programs like George W. Bush's campaign to combat AIDS in Africa are easy choices to make - relatively cheap, not likely to offend any allies, lots of good photo ops.

But what about the hard choices?  What happens when America's strategic interests conflict with supporting human rights?  If given the choice between acting in a way that is perceived to benefit America or its allies, on one hand, or supporting human or democratic rights, on the other, human rights will get the rejection letter every time.  (William Blum's excellent book "Killing Hope" details numerous such situations from all over the world.)  In the short term, this is expedient, but in the long term, it degrades our position in the world and actually makes us less safe.

An excellent example of this is Bahrain.  Though you would never know if from reading the headlines or watching CNN, the Bahraini government is brutally repressing peaceful protests against the Bahraini monarchy.  Two recent editorials in the New York Times give a clear picture of what is happening:   

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/23/opinion/sunday/kristof-when-bahrain-said-get-lost.html?hp

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/26/opinion/bahrain-a-brutal-ally.html

The cycle of protests and repression in Bahrain has been going on nearly a year.  It is rarely mentioned in the mainstream media, and when it is, the US government replies with a deafening silence.

Why?  There are many reasons.  First of all, as noted by Ms. al-Khawaja, Bahrain is the home of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, an essential installation for our presence in the Persian Gulf.  We cannot do or say anything that would jeopordize the relationship that allows our Navy to stay in Bahrain.  Also, Bahrain is a friend of Saudi Arabia, and we can say what we want about any nation on Earth, but no one - no one who likes oil - wants to offend Saudi Arabia.  The Fifth Fleet is in the Persian Gulf to ensure that oil shipments from the Saudis make it to American markets.  This is critical for keeping American gas prices low, and it is essential to the Saudi oil industry.  So we are in the uncomfortable position of providing security for a foreign country's oil shipments, while at the same time turning a blind eye to another country's brutal repression of pro-democracy demonstrations.  Definitely not a shining reference on our nation's human rights resume.

Here at the Common Sense Pundit, while we are offended at America's choice of oil over human rights, we understand that the world is a tough place, and its full of hard choices.  We are concerned though, that the people on the street in the Arab/Mulsim world will not be so understanding.  When the angry young men in Manama - or Yemen or Gaza - see the US sending arms and money to the rebels in Libya and Syria, but ignoring pleas for assistance from their own country's activists, they will be easily turned to violent and extreme actions to further their goals. 

This is what breeds terrorism.  When a political movement sees no other option than violence.  This is the situation we are actively supporting in Bahrain.  When the next attack comes, we will share the blame.

American peace activist William Sloane Coffin famously noted that "Every nation makes decisions based on self-interest and defends them on the basis of morality."  Only, in this case, he got it half right.  America is indeed acting in its own self interest, but we do not even bother to defend our actions.  Because, we know we are guilty, and - among the tumult of the 24 hour news cycle and the latest celebrity scandals - we know that it is best to remain silent and hope that our transgressions will be lost in the shuffle.  However, we should expect more of our government - especially the Hope and Change of the Obama administration.  When faced with hard choices, we expect our elected and appointed government officials to be honest with the American people. Tell us: "We support the human rights abuses in Bahrain because, to Americans, oil is more important than human rights, and our short term relationships with our allies in the Gulf are more important than America's long term security."