This is the article that gave me the idea to start this blog. During my internship this summer I worked with a non-profit that is basically a governmental organization (confusing I know), so when I wrote this piece for our "development blog" it was gently declined by the web person because it included personal opinions on government policy. I wanted a place to share it, hence this blog began. Written Summer 2009.
President Obama’s speech at Cairo University on Thursday was a clear step forward in the United States’ Islamic affairs. However, the content of his speech had strong implications for the new administration’s policy towards other parts of the world as well, especially here in our own hemisphere.
One of Obama’s main topics of focus was democracy and America’s role in promoting it:
“…let me be clear: no system of government can or should be imposed upon one nation by any other.
That does not lessen my commitment, however, to governments that reflect the will of the people. Each nation gives life to this principle in its own way, grounded in the traditions of its own people. America does not presume to know what is best for everyone, just as we would not presume to pick the outcome of a peaceful election. But I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn't steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose. Those are not just American ideas, they are human rights, and that is why we will support them everywhere.” Read the full speech
Over the last decade, Latin America has undergone a dramatic swing to the left, in what can be viewed as a backlash against American hegemonic influence. On Thursday, the Organization of American States reached an agreement to lift the suspension of Cuba from the organization for the past 47 years. While Secretary of State Hillary Clinton originally fought for certain conditions to be required before consideration of such a proposal, she supported the final compromise calling for possible readmission to be based on a "process of dialogue" in line with OAS pro-democracy "practices, proposals and principles".
Last Tuesday, Mauricio Funes was sworn in as the new president of El Salvador, the first leftist to rule the country since 1992. While some fear that Funes will join the ranks of Venezuela’s Chavez & Co. in their harsh anti-American attitudes, it appears more likely that Funes is casting himself as a moderate, alluding to the “strong examples” of President Obama and Brazilian President Luíz Inacio Lula da Silva as “proof that progressive leaders - instead of being a threat - can be a new, safe alternative for their people.” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attended the ceremony in San Salvador and congratulated the Salvadorian people on this demonstration of democracy. Chavez and Ortega were notably absent from the ceremony.
I think the new tone of American influence abroad as articulated in Obama’s speech in Cairo, will lead us to an overall better position in the region. While some have decried Secretary Clinton’s compromise at the OAS as appeasement to a dictatorship, this resolution represents something much more pragmatic. It represents the sentiment that you don’t have to agree with your neighbors in order to talk to them, and in fact a policy of “keeping your friends close and your enemies closer” can improve national security and intelligence. It also reflects the understanding that by engaging with and respecting your international counterparts such as President Funes, you undercut the extreme-left’s arguments of American “tyranny” in the region. Most importantly, the Obama administration’s new tone demonstrates a core commitment to democratic principles on the international scale, where we are just one country in a regional organization of 34 members.
The United States will continue to lead the way towards democratic reforms around the world. Organizations such as CIPE play a crucial role in fostering opportunities for political and economic freedom by partnering with local organizations to promote homegrown reform. Instead of forcing Latin American leaders into black-and-white worlds of allies and enemies, these projects create the demand for democratic institutions organically. The result of this approach is long-run, sustainable development produced in a truly democratic fashion.
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