Ted Galen Carpenter
American leaders like to portray the United States as an
exemplar of ethical conduct in the international system. The
reality is far different, and it has been for decades. Throughout
the Cold War, the United States embraced extremely
repressive rulers, including the Shah of Iran,
Nicaragua’s Somoza family, Taiwan’s Chiang Kai-shek,
and Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, all the while portraying them as
noble members of the “Free World.” Such blatant
hypocrisy and double standards continue today regarding both
Washington’s own dubious behavior and the U.S. attitude
toward the behavior of favored allies and friends.
The gap between professed values and actual policy is especially
evident in the Middle East. U.S. officials …read more
Source: Cato Institute
