OBAMA ADMINISTRATION IS UNDER CRITICISM OVER ITS RELATIONS WITH UNDEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENTS
arminfo
Wednesday, February 22, 12:30
ArmInfo-TURAN. Washington-DC based global think-tank Carnegie Endowment
for International Peace, has criticized the Obama Administration's
democracy policy, due to its relations with the undemocratic
governments of Central Asia and Caucasus.
According to Turan's Washington DC correspondent, in his recent
report on "Democracy Policy Under Obama Revitalization or Retreat?",
Carnegie's vice president Thomas Carothers, mentioned that in Central
Asia and the Caucasus, the Obama administration "maintains friendly or
at least mutually productive relations with undemocratic governments
in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan. It is
for the sake of various benefits, especially logistical cooperation
relating to the war in Afghanistan and access to oil and gas".
Does this larger reality of Obama's foreign policy-democracy being only
a secondary emphasis overall and downplayed in many places for the sake
of other interests-represent a relative retreat to US democracy policy
of the last several decades? He said, "answering this question requires
stepping very carefully through the confusing thicket of rhetoric
and reality that perennially surrounds US democracy promotion".
At the same time, he adds, the administration downplays democracy
and human rights in a number of non-democratic countries for the sake
of other interests. This inconsistency represents a familiar pattern
rather than a change in US policy.
arminfo
Wednesday, February 22, 12:30
ArmInfo-TURAN. Washington-DC based global think-tank Carnegie Endowment
for International Peace, has criticized the Obama Administration's
democracy policy, due to its relations with the undemocratic
governments of Central Asia and Caucasus.
According to Turan's Washington DC correspondent, in his recent
report on "Democracy Policy Under Obama Revitalization or Retreat?",
Carnegie's vice president Thomas Carothers, mentioned that in Central
Asia and the Caucasus, the Obama administration "maintains friendly or
at least mutually productive relations with undemocratic governments
in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Kyrgyzstan. It is
for the sake of various benefits, especially logistical cooperation
relating to the war in Afghanistan and access to oil and gas".
Does this larger reality of Obama's foreign policy-democracy being only
a secondary emphasis overall and downplayed in many places for the sake
of other interests-represent a relative retreat to US democracy policy
of the last several decades? He said, "answering this question requires
stepping very carefully through the confusing thicket of rhetoric
and reality that perennially surrounds US democracy promotion".
At the same time, he adds, the administration downplays democracy
and human rights in a number of non-democratic countries for the sake
of other interests. This inconsistency represents a familiar pattern
rather than a change in US policy.