Legal Commentary

Amnesty Intl.'s Fair Criticism Of Hillary Clinton

By Big Tent Democrat

In response to some, in my view, unfortunate remarks by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Amnesty International levelled some harsh but appropriate criticism:

[Secretary] Clinton said the United States would continue to press China on long-standing US concerns over human rights such as its rule over Tibet. "But our pressing on those issues can't interfere on the global economic crisis, the global climate change crisis and the security crisis," Clinton told reporters in Seoul just before leaving for Beijing.

T. Kumar of Amnesty International USA said the global rights lobby was "shocked and extremely disappointed" by Clinton's remarks. "The United States is one of the only countries that can meaningfully stand up to China on human rights issues," he said. "But by commenting that human rights will not interfere with other priorities, Secretary Clinton damages future US initiatives to protect those rights in China," he said.

More . . .

I think Secretary Clinton may have stated a reality, but it was unwise of her to make these public statements. At least, that is my opinion.

Speaking for me only

Full post as published by TalkLeft on February 20, 2009 (boomark / email).