In 1959, President Eisenhower signed into law the Captive Nation Week resolution which mandated that the United States, as “the citadel of human freedom,” provide “leadership in bringing about [Captive Nations’] liberation and independence.” Last weekend, President Obama delivered his version of the Captive Nations Week proclamation.However, although Obama spoke to the value of “fundamental freedoms” and “universal principles,” his words lacked the passion and conviction needed to demonstrate America’s commitment to advancing freedom to all corners of the earth. For instance, President Obama’s proclamation was completely devoid of any …
President Barack Obama has made apologizing for U.S. “mistakes” the centerpiece of his foreign policy. His whirlwind Apology Tour earlier this year included stops on three continents with a plethora of apologies along the way. In a continuation on this theme, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton is now in India, hoping a fresh round of apologies will win a major reduction in their carbon emissions. By eagerly pointing out the “mistakes” of the U.S., Clinton hopes to coax India into compliance. We acknowledge now with President Obama that we have …
President Obama’s foreign policy thus far has been marked by an emphasis on public diplomacy. As a result, successfully engaging foreign publics has become a top priority of his administration. The President himself has taken an active role in this effort, delivering several high-profile speeches to audiences around the world. His July 7th oration in Moscow, which focused on the importance of media freedom and human rights, was one such occasion. But Obama’s message failed to reach his intended audience- the Russian public. On Russian television, which is tightly controlled …
During the course of his presidency, President Obama has placed little value in encouraging democratic developments abroad, stating the need to focus on the “substance” of a government, rather than its “form.” While the president’s abandonment of democracy is certainly discouraging, he has raised an important point: We spend so much time talking about democracy…[b]ut democracy, a well-functioning society that promotes liberty and equality and fraternity, does not just depend on going to the ballot box. However, although the president recognizes that democracies in name do not always yield democracies …
