Human Rights

Floor Speech

Mr. FEINGOLD. Madam President, although I know the Obama administration strongly supports human rights and adherence to the rule of law around the world, I have been struck by several very public examples where this important issue has gotten short shrift--most notably in senior State Department meetings with foreign governments. Perhaps the starkest example was the Secretary of State's visit to China last year, where she said that U.S. efforts to advance human rights ``can't interfere on the global economic crisis, the global climate change crisis and the security crisis.''

Since joining Congress in 1993, I have emphasized that human rights must be at the center of our foreign policy. The Obama administration shares this view, but I remain troubled that in certain instances human rights continue to take a back seat to other competing concerns deemed more pressing. As we seek to address the many crises we face both at home and around the world, we cannot afford to miss--or avoid--opportunities to raise human rights concerns. I do not believe quiet tradeoffs are necessary or consistent with the principles for which the United States stands. Moreover, whatever the perceived short-term benefit of remaining quiet when human rights are being undermined, there is often a long-term cost to us. Our commitment to and enforcement of international human rights standards is part of our strength--when they are called into question, our own national security is undermined.

Human rights, good governance and the rule of law are important not only in their own right, but also for the positive contributions they can provide to our efforts on counterterrorism, stability, and development. As we continue the fight against al-Qaeda and its affiliates, a robust human rights agenda that is deeply intertwined with our broader national security goals will help us achieve our counterterrorism objectives. At the same time, our counterterrorism policies and those of our partners must respect basic, fundamental rights in order to be truly effective.

Developing a coherent and effective foreign policy that successfully incorporates trade, security, and human rights concerns is no easy task. But we cannot further perpetuate the current imbalance by remaining silent on critical human rights concerns. Silence speaks volumes and gives a free pass to those who commit such abuses, as well as those who might commit them in the future. We must voice our concerns loudly and consistently as we seek to build global partnerships rooted in policies that incorporate good governance, the rule of law, and human rights alongside our economic and security priorities. By downplaying the former in order to focus on the latter, the administration risks weakening a key pillar of American strength.

Source