Statement by No Cold War
It is clear that the ‘Summit for Democracy’ called by the Biden administration on 9-10th December is in reality just Washington’s latest Cold War provocation.
The truth is that the United States government has a long record of systematically violating both democratic and human rights across the world. Its record of invading other states, organising and supporting anti-democratic coups, and interfering in the affairs of other countries, is unequalled. The invasion of Iraq, bombing of Libya, attempts to overthrow the Venezuelan government, and decades-long economic blockade against Cuba, in defiance of the international community, are just a handful of examples which clearly demonstrate that US foreign policy is not motivated by a commitment to ‘democracy’ or ‘human rights’.
In fact, US foreign policy is conducted on the basis of violating national sovereignty, dominating other countries, and forcing states to subordinate themselves to Washington. Countries which pursue their national interests in ways that the US opposes are attacked regardless of their form of government. Meanwhile, countries with no form of democracy whatsoever, such as Saudi Arabia, are embraced as close allies.
Other countries joining the Biden administration’s Summit, themselves have long histories of colonialism and foreign domination. These states have participated in anti-democratic actions which have contravened international law and were unilaterally taken outside of the framework of the United Nations, such as the invasion of Iraq.
In short, no credibility can be given to the claim that this meeting is about ‘democracy’. Instead, the Biden administration aims to draw false divisions within the international community in support of its Cold War agenda.
This, unfortunately, repeats the posture taken during the recent COP26 climate conference, where developed countries of the Global North claimed that developing countries, in particular India and China, are primarily responsible for climate change. In truth, countries of the Global North are overwhelmingly responsible for climate change, with both their historical carbon emissions and current per capita carbon emissions being far higher than those of the Global South. In both cases, COP26 and this ‘Summit for Democracy’, Washington’s agenda is not supported by the facts.
Instead of creating false divisions and increasing Cold War-type hostility, what is instead required is international cooperation to achieve positive international action on the vital challenges facing humanity, including the pandemic, climate change, and strengthening democracy around the world by accepting the United Nations as the common international framework.
The above statement was originally published here by No Cold War