American democracy: The release of the CIA torture
report may have
triggered
criticism of the U.S., but it generated tremendous admiration
as well, as this column from columnist
Sever Voinescu demonstrates.
In 'Heroic' America, Values Surpass Instinct
for Self Defense (Evenimentul Zilei, Romania)
"The European powers would find it hard
to admit or would not admit at all that they were dependent on slaves, that
they repressed indigenous populations across the world, that they waged wars not only in self-defense but for plunder and conquest,
that its armiescommitted not just heroic deeds but crimes, that they abused power, or that
they took wrong decisions. These are
just a few of the sins that in various ways, America never ceases to reproach itself
for, with everything from political speech to academic research to Hollywood
films. ... The desire of Americans to respond to those trained precisely to deny
fundamental rights to anyone who falls into their hands and, moreover, who have
no purpose other than to kill Americans and terrorize their country, is downright heroic."
Romania is caught in a delicate situation due to the huge
international scandal that just began. With the publication of the Feinstein report,
a brand new president [Klaus Iohannis] who has
zero experience on the matter, interim leaders at the External
Information Service [Serviciul de Informații Externe or SIE]
and the chief of the Internal Romanian Information Service [Serviciul Romān de
Informații or SRI]
resigning, Romanian diplomacy faces some challenging times.
President Iohannis will first have to learn the truth about the issue - the
whole truth. Only if he knows the entire truth can he serve the country. After that,
the president will have to decide how Romania can best reveal that truth. Let's
posit that no matter what the truth is, whether Romania harboured secret CIA
prisons on its territory or not, our priviledged partnership with the United
States is critical for our country. The great strategic truth for Romania is
that we remain a secure country and we stand a chance of achieving prosperity within
the E.U. only because we are NATO members and partners of the Americans.
Any other truths should be viewed through this lens, and
we should feel encouraged by the fact that America is a country where the emergence
of truth is not only possible but inevitable. In politics the truth is gradually
assembled, discovered and consolidated over time - and this is to President
Iohannis' advantage. Therefore, he will have some time to reflect on this
delicate matter. Furthermore, I would like to believe that in this respect as
well, President Iohannis will have some help from former President Băsescu.
With great experience in this
area, an excellent knowledge of the international strategic reality and a
repository of transatlantic trust, Traian Băsescu will not shirk the responsibility of again coming to the service of his
country in the field of national security, an area where he has quite simply excelled all
these years.
Many years ago, Henry Kissinger told a conference I had
the opportunity to attend that no other nation in the world can compete with
the delight America shows for blaming itself both for what it and what others
have done, and for considering that whatever happened, it was its own responsibility.
The European powers, for example, would find it hard to admit or would not
admit at all that they were dependent on slaves, that they repressed indigenous
populations across the world, that they waged wars not only in self-defense but for plunder and conquest,
that its armiescommitted not just
heroic deeds but crimes, that they abused power, or that they took wrong
decisions. These are just a few of the sins that in various ways, America
never ceases to reproach itself for, with everything from political speeches to
academic research to Hollywood films.
I recalled the words of that venerable diplomat after
reading the extensive coverage in The
Washington Post and The New York
Times devoted to the latest report of Senate
Democrats on the CIA's interrogation methods practiced against suspects
of terrorism. Although its conclusions are to a large extent contested and it
has an obvious partisan political character, the report drafted by the Senate Select
Committee on Intelligence headed by Mme. Dianne Feinstein of California will provide
amunition to anti-Americans across the world who will once again cry out as if
with a single voice. The first consequence of this report will undoubtedly be a
reenergized stream of anti-American propaganda.
Posted By Worldmeets.US
Surely, it won't cross any of these peoples' minds to ask
themselves why there aren't similar reports in Russia or Iran, and none will
appreciate the unique quality of American democracy which makes such things
possible. America, issuer of public reports about its own problems, will be
blamed ever-more fiercely. Its political or strategic opponents will enjoy a fresh
period of grace. Moreover, they will have the opportunity to cry out, protest, and
feign indignance. I can already see a new U.N. resolution condemning
American violations of human rights supported by China, Russia, Cuba, Iran,
Venezuela, North Korea and the like.
On the other hand, the vigor of the American democratic
system is quite admirable. The commitment to its values is so deeply embedded
that it seems to surpass the instinct of self-defense. The desire of Americans
to respond to those trained precisely to deny fundamental rights to anyone who
falls into their hands and, moreover, who have no purpose other than to kill Americans
and terrorize their country, is downright
heroic. However, if America is a country strong enough for such an exercise,
what about Romania?
