Hague warns Bush over US 'moral defeat' as Tories seek to mend ties

[Judi Lynn]

Hague warns Bush over US 'moral defeat' as Tories seek to mend ties
By Alec Russell in Washington
(Filed: 17/02/2006)

William Hague, the shadow foreign secretary, made a calculated critique of United States foreign policy last night, saying Washington and its allies faced a "critical erosion" of their moral authority across the globe.

In a speech in Washington, he warned the White House that loss of international goodwill over the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandals and Guantanamo Bay could prove as costly as a battlefield defeat.
(snip)

"This has resulted in a loss of goodwill towards America which could be as serious in the long term as the sharpest of military defeats."

Mr Hague's address to the Johns Hopkins Centre for Transatlantic Relations was the centrepiece of a two-day visit by leading Tories to re-establish relations with the Republicans after the former leader, Michael Howard, fell out with the White House over the Iraq war.

His language was not what President George W Bush has come to expect from allies. But it reflects the challenge the Conservatives face as they try to restore ties while not alienating the many British voters deeply hostile to the Bush administration.
(snip/...)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/02/17/wtory17.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/02/17/ixworld.html

[Theduckno2]

1. Bushco desires authority across the globe.

If it is "moral authority" so much the better but make no mistake authority is what they're after. I am always astounded to see the minions of Bushco claim the moral high ground in the face of their extrordinary renditions, prisoner abuses and willingness to torture.

Maybe this is one sign that things are changing for the better.

Thanks for posting.

[0007]

3. junior & Blair are starting to receive the notoriety they rightfully deser

More from the same article...

"Reports of prisoner abuse by British and American troops, however isolated, and accounts, accurate or not, of the mistreatment of detainees at Guantanamo, and 'extraordinary rendition' flights leading to the torture of suspects, have led to a critical erosion in our moral authority.

"This has resulted in a loss of goodwill towards America which could be as serious in the long term as the sharpest of military defeats."

Mr Hague's address to the Johns Hopkins Centre for Transatlantic Relations was the centrepiece of a two-day visit by leading Tories to re-establish relations with the Republicans after the former leader, Michael Howard, fell out with the White House over the Iraq war.

[Mnemosyne]

2. I thought you meant the Hague and got all

excited.

[ninkasi]

8. I thought the same thing when I read the title

but it's still a good article.

[Mnemosyne]

11. It is at that! n/t

[NewJeffCT]

4. Stating the obvious

But, sometimes it has to be said by someone in authority.

[Loki]

5. Unfortunately, we have known this for a long time.......

these men in power are not interested in ruling through the goodwill of other countries, they only know how to rule through fear, intimidation and an unholy arrogance. Even when it looks the darkest, I hold onto this thought..... "When I despair, I remember that all through history, the way of truth ... has always won. There have been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible. But in the end they always fall. Think of it. Always." - MK Gandhi

[90-percent]

6. Moral Authority?

Who needs that when you have military-industrial-congressional-complex authority?

American moral authority is now nothing more than a quaint outdated concept.

-85%

[Judi Lynn]

7. Sad, isn't it? It would seem that's exactly their position. n/t

[MrPrax]

9. Precisely...

While appealing to the some notion of 'decency' or 'moral' virtue, it would be nice to have Hague establish what those are exactly.

Hague here is speaking not necessarily of Bush, but the American public itself has a strong sense of moral mission in the globe and actually don't really have a problem imposing it abroad.

Exceptionalism, flattering national narratives, overconsumption, manifest destiny, trade instability and a frightening lack of empathy towards other countries and cultures are the causes of these battlefield defeats.

Hague is just annoyed America isn't being 'respected' because of these latest outrages--he never doubts that the US DOES have a premier role in the affairs of the world and that is BECAUSE of it's ridiculously huge arsnel.

[ronnie624]

10. Yeah right.

<snip>

Reports of prisoner abuse by British and American troops, *however isolated*, and accounts, *accurate or not*, of the mistreatment of detainees at Guantanamo, and 'extraordinary rendition' flights leading to the torture of suspects, have led to a critical erosion in our moral authority.

<snip>

Whatever. :eyes: