A troublesome freedom-fighter

The real image of the US is revealed by a man who should know:

Former Polish President and Nobel laureate Lech Walesa, right, arrived in Denver, Colorado on March 23, 2006 to speak at Regis University.

In a brief interview upon his arrival, Walesa gave a sharp critique of U.S. efforts to promote democracy. The problem, he stated, was that for all its military and economic power, the United States “is not a political and moral leader to the world.”

He said that the lack of leadership has contributed to chaos in Iraq and left the world unprepared to face new challenges as varied as terrorism and worker welfare in a tumultuous global economy.

The erosion of U.S. political and moral clout began at home, he said. “Is it true anyone can be president of the United States?” Walesa asked. “In order to run, he or she must have $100 million.”

And abroad, Walesa said, Americans seem to rely mostly on force. “They use their military.” After World War II, he continued, it was different. Americans inspired the world, rebuilding Europe and Japan. But, “after the Cold War, the United States did not come up with any plan for the world.” That lack of a plan at a turning point “demonstrated that the United States no longer was a leader,” he said.… 

How can anybody respect a government that brazenly and proudly tortures innocents in the name of “fighting terror”?

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