As US abdicates its moral authority

In his five months in office, US president Donald Trump has introduced an element of deep uncertainty in geo-politics. He has sought to withdraw US from many of its global power engagements in the world, straining even the military alliance like NATO and alienating the European Union, the bulwarks of the world order led by US. Trump has even trashed the multilateral agreements which previous administration had played an instrumental role to rally the world around. One such critical agreement was the Paris Climate accord. Trump unilaterally withdrew from it saying it was unfair to US. However, more than a withdrawal from US global engagements and commitments, it is the US abandonment of the human rights discourse that is a source of great concern. Trump’s vicious campaign rhetoric, the anti-Muslim tone and even policies of the new US Government have detracted from the US moral authority. So much so, the country seems now hardly in a position to lecture other countries on the human rights and democracy. In fact, under Trump’s presidency, US has established a better equation with the dictatorial Vladimir Putin than his European allies. No doubt, Trump’s ascension has led to the encouragement of the dictators or the leaders with the dictatorial tendencies. It has also made these leaders less mindful of the human rights. Because they don’t think they will be held accountable for it.

A case in point of the growing US indifference towards its once reassuring moral role is the 2016 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released by the country in early March. The report takes due note of the NGO and media reports about  “the apparently indiscriminate use of shotguns loaded with birdshot by security forces to control crowds, including violent protests, in Jammu and Kashmir” which  resulted in “87 civilian deaths and blinded hundreds more, including children”. It also  picked on Iran, Russia, Eritrea, Bulgaria others for human rights excesses like restricting freedom of religion, attacks on minorities, torture but the releasing ceremony  was a low-key affairs unlike in the past. This was clear from the absence of  the new secretary of state, Rex W. Tillerson at the news conference associated with the release.  

In the absence of the US and international oversight and the weakening of the global institutions, the countries around the world are getting away with the murder.

Though the State Department later played down criticism of Tillerson’s absence, but around the world the people took it as a signal that America was abdicating its role as a moral power.  This indifference is taking a heavy toll on the minorities in the world. The governments are not asked questions nor are they urged forcefully to mend their ways. In case of long running conflicts the situation is even worse. US disengagement means that  no need is felt by the countries dealing with the internal conflicts to be respectful of human rights let alone take steps to resolve the issues. What is more, the growing US withdrawal from the world and its new found reluctance to put its weight  and money behind the United Nations, the profile of the world body too has correspondingly declined. This state of affairs portends a dangerous world. In the absence of the US and international oversight and the weakening of the global institutions, the countries around the world are getting away with the murder. As the only super power, the world thus desperately needs US to regain its moral consciousness. 

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