2008 Woodie Awards
Congressman Brad Miller discusses genocide in Darfur
Deena Zaru
Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: News
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According to Miller, another reason for the lack of response from the United States to the genocide in Darfur is that they will only aid countries that they have a vested interest in.
"Although I think it is completely f----- up that the United States is only going to help those countries that they can benefit from, I am glad that he was honest about it," Cordeal said.
The final part of Miller's talk dealt with the fact that even though the United States is not invested in ending the genocide, "the U.S. has a role to play in Africa - a moral obligation."
However, the congressman said that the United States is not a qualified leader in ending the genocide in Sudan because "the Bush administration's decision to unilaterally invade Iraq, with no respect to the opinion of mankind and to the opinion of our allies, has caused the U.S. to lose the moral authority that it had in the past."
Robert Duncan, assistant professor of political science, said that historically, when the United States government has taken military action, it has done so as part of an alliance, or through United Nations agreements, but not alone.
"When we flex our muscles and we blow off our allies and we fail to consider their desires and we ignore their analysis and their input," Duncan said. "The attitude of the administration smacks of arrogance."
Duncan said that even in the first Iraq war, during the previous Bush administration, there was international support for it because Saddam had violated international law and the international community decided to punish him for it.
"I'm not sure we had that much moral authority to begin with because of Vietnam and other things we have done all over the world," Duncan said. "But whatever amount we had, we squandered it and we are no longer respected around the world."
Phillip Kennedy, Callahan, and Cordeal, collectively agree.
"I'm glad that there is someone (like Miller) in Congress who respects that the U.S. is part of a global system and, while we have been admired in the past, is not intrinsically the best country ever and everyone should recognize that," Kennedy said.
"Although I think it is completely f----- up that the United States is only going to help those countries that they can benefit from, I am glad that he was honest about it," Cordeal said.
The final part of Miller's talk dealt with the fact that even though the United States is not invested in ending the genocide, "the U.S. has a role to play in Africa - a moral obligation."
However, the congressman said that the United States is not a qualified leader in ending the genocide in Sudan because "the Bush administration's decision to unilaterally invade Iraq, with no respect to the opinion of mankind and to the opinion of our allies, has caused the U.S. to lose the moral authority that it had in the past."
Robert Duncan, assistant professor of political science, said that historically, when the United States government has taken military action, it has done so as part of an alliance, or through United Nations agreements, but not alone.
"When we flex our muscles and we blow off our allies and we fail to consider their desires and we ignore their analysis and their input," Duncan said. "The attitude of the administration smacks of arrogance."
Duncan said that even in the first Iraq war, during the previous Bush administration, there was international support for it because Saddam had violated international law and the international community decided to punish him for it.
"I'm not sure we had that much moral authority to begin with because of Vietnam and other things we have done all over the world," Duncan said. "But whatever amount we had, we squandered it and we are no longer respected around the world."
Phillip Kennedy, Callahan, and Cordeal, collectively agree.
"I'm glad that there is someone (like Miller) in Congress who respects that the U.S. is part of a global system and, while we have been admired in the past, is not intrinsically the best country ever and everyone should recognize that," Kennedy said.
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