Geodog

American credibility is gone

One story in today's NYT illustrates the lack of principles in American diplomacy today, which have made us lose so much credibility with the rest of the world:

In the past two weeks, there has been extensive discussion between the United States and Mr. Blix on the possibility of setting "benchmarks" or "tasks" for Iraq — in effect, final tests of Iraq's intentions. ... The administration's difficulty with such benchmarks was illustrated by the back and forth over Iraq's banned missiles. At first, the United States cited the missiles as proof that Iraq would not disarm. Then on Thursday, after Iraq had signaled that it might comply with orders to destroy them, Mr. Powell said, "It doesn't change our view of the situation in the slightest."

Clearly, the only benchmarks that America sees as important are the ones that help it in its case against Hussein.

America is currently seen, rightly so I fear, as being like the prosecutor who cares only for winning, not for what the facts are, and even less for justice. We will happily suppress or belittle evidence that goes against our case, and will make up (or plagiarize from the net) evidence against our adversary, because winning is the most important thing. That's how innocent men get sent to the death row. Not that I think Hussein is innocent of any crimes, but, eventually our mendacity and lack of principle lead to a lack of credibility. Anybody remember the "credibility gap" that opened up another time an administration was committed to a course of action, no matter what the facts were. Few Americans, and no Europeans, Arabs, or Turks, believes anything that the Bush administration says about Hussein any more. And who can blame them. The Bush administration has no one to blame but themselves.