Archive for Foreign Policy Affairs
Sy Hersh on the possibilities of war with Iran
Keith Olbermann talks with Sy Hersh of The New Yorker Magazine about the intensifying sabre rattling from the Bush administration toward Iran.
Wesley Clark Endorses Hillary Clinton
NEW YORK (AP) — Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton was endorsed Saturday by retired Gen. Wesley Clark, who sought the party’s nomination in 2004 and whose sterling military credentials could bolster her bid to be the first female commander in chief.
Clark, the former supreme allied commander of NATO, praised the New York senator as “a remarkable person” with the skills and experience to be president.
Articles of faith
“When two eminent US scholars wrote about the ‘Israel lobby’ they were vilified by colleagues and the Washington Post. This week Barack Obama joined the attack. Ed Pilkington hears their story”
Saturday September 15, 2007
The Guardian
Transatlantic Trends
WASHINGTON, DC, & BRUSSELS (September 6, 2007) - A survey released today shows that, despite new leaders in Great Britain, France, and Germany pledging to work with the United States, public expectations for a renewed transatlantic partnership continue to lag behind leaders’ rhetoric.
Clinton proves favourite across the Atlantic
This pretty much falls right in line with what I’m hearing from the Danes. I haven’t done any formalized polling but everyone I’ve spoken with here in Denmark seems to support Hillary.
What I find most interesting is the Danish media coverage of the race. It’s completely presented in a binary format. Clinton v Obama, Democrats v Republicans, conservative v liberal, etc… Of course, the US media prays at the alter of “the two sided coin”. However, Danish, and European politics are multi-representational, multi-partied, multi-ideas affairs. That is also reflected in the European media.
Why does the European media follow the American binary media framing of American politics? Is this journalistic apathy which simply regurgitates dominant US media narratives? Do Europeans believe that America is somehow truly unique, representing the world’s only two-diminsional society.
Politically, Hillary Clinton falls somewhere slightly to the right of Denmark’s current “right” leaning ruling coalition. One would be hard pressed to find European support among the Republican field. However, if people had more information about the Democratic field, I doubt support for Hillary would be so strong.
Perhaps none of this matters. Europeans don’t vote in US elections.
As an American, the relatively open and objective coverage by the European media on European politics is both refreshing and encouraging. However, the short-sided and narrow portrayal of US politics from the main stream European media is most puzzling.
What gives?
Brzezinski on "War on Terror"
by Zbigniew Brzezinski, National Security Adviser to President Jimmy Carter
“To justify the ‘war on terror,’ the administration has lately crafted a false historical narrative that could even become a self-fulfilling prophecy.”
“The culture of fear is like a genie that has been let out of its bottle. It acquires a life of its own — and can become demoralizing. America today is not the self-confident and determined nation…”
Might this be the mood that we have been discussing in relation to post 9/11 American Fiction?
Atlantic Community Exclusive
The Lantos Doctrine
by Stuart Noble
4 December 2006
On Friday, December 1, 2006, U.S. Congressman Tom Lantos participated in a panel discussion on the direction of American foreign policy at the University of Southern Denmark. The event was sponsored by the university’s Center for American Studies.
Also participating were the congressman’s son-in-law, Ambassador Richard Nelson Swett, former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark (1998-2001), and his daughter, Katrina Swett. Earlier that day, Ms. Swett defended her dissertation on the role of the U.S. congress in global human rights issues and was awarded her Ph.D. from the University of Southern Denmark.
Congressman Lantos, who is soon to chair the House International Relations Committee, was earlier that week in Latvia, attending NATO’s Riga summit. According to Lantos, “Riga was a disgrace to NATO”. The congressman complained about “the venomous anti-Americanism” and “Europe’s lack of collective responsibility.” He went on to stress that, “it must be made perfectly clear that Afghanistan is not Iraq, Afghanistan is a NATO operation.”
Germany is said to be among Europe’s “anti-American camp”. Lantos went on to illustrate the extent to which the U.S. has aided Germany over the last 60 years and stated, “The Germans should get down on their knees every morning and thank the U.S.”
Speaking in general terms about Transatlantic relations, Congressman Lantos said there would be a major shift in “tact and tone” and that U.S. relations would be “dramatically more courteous and respectful towards are European Friends.” A major theme to be expected was a U.S. push for greater European burden sharing. Mr. Lantos said that Europe can not continue to leave it up to the Americans to deal with “the ugly things of this world” and that the U.S. can no longer carry the burden alone. He noted that Denmark has been “a stand-up ally” and that Denmark’s share of global humanitarian relief ranks among the top in the world but that Denmark and Europe must make greater contributions to security. He went on again to state that, “burden sharing will be one of our primary goals” and, “we will insist that you take your share of the burden”. According to Congressman Lantos, nations and societies which are privileged have a duty to act and support less fortunate nations and societies.
On the U.N., he basically warned Europeans not to be too giddy over the role of the U.N. He thought that Europeans mistakenly see a clear line between Republicans as anti- U.N. and Democrats as pro U.N. According to Rep. Lantos, this kind of thinking is too simplistic and that while the new Democratic congress will be stressing greater cooperation and multilateralism, the U.N. is still in need of major reform. According to Mr. Lantos, the U.N.’s Human Rights Council is a farce.
As a co-chair Congressional Human Rights Caucus, he was particularly proud of a recent humanitarian aid bill which will go to support the aids crisis in Africa. “15 Billion dollars to the Aids Crisis in Africa was a triumph.” He stated his disappointment in that the European press paid so little attention to this.
While U.S. foreign policy would be seeking greater burden sharing from its allies, he believes, “the United States is still the indispensable nation” in global security. “It won’t be Luxemburg that keeps the sea lanes open.”
The congressman also stated concerns that Russia was returning to authoritarianism and that it is perhaps time to consider re-forming the G8 back to the G7 (exclude Russia).
In January he says there will be congressional hearings on the new and alarming role of political assassinations taking place around the world.
When asked about how the incoming Democratic congress will influence the Bush administration’s foreign policy he concluded, “the strongest pressure on the administration to change its policy on foreign affairs will come from the surviving Republicans in the congress in order to prevent a further landslide in 2008.”
Stuart Noble is a freelance writer living abroad in Denmark. He is currently a graduate student at the University of Southern Denmark’s Center for American Studies.stuarttnoble@gmail.com