A great tragedy of the 21st century so far is that leaders of the Western world have lost the moral high ground in debating human rights.

After the infamous terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, human rights plunged on Washington’s priority list, replaced by notions of invading and remoulding countries in the Middle East. Only by gawking through rose-colored glasses could one imagine that the presence of United States soldiers has strengthened individual rights in Afghanistan or Iraq.

With the U.S. embracing secret prisons, arbitrary detention, torturous interrogations and dubious eavesdropping, Washington’s record on human rights looks dismal, much like Beijing’s. The U.S. administration lacks credibility to lecture the governments of China, North Korea, Myanmar or elsewhere.

British leader Tony Blair, Australian John Howard, Canadian Stephen Harper and others tumble into a similar trap. Once they fail to condemn American human-rights abuses, how can they scold anyone?

Sadly, U.S. President George W. Bush sees nothing wrong with this travesty. Blair, Howard, Harper and others feign similar blindness.

With no one heard speaking boldly in favor of human rights, daily life turns more perilous for everyone on Planet Earth.


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