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Article: How to make dictators look good. (Ronald Reagan's lack of a human rights policy)
- Article from:
- The Nation
- Article date:
- February 9, 1985
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1985 The Nation Company L.P. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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For all its imperfections, The Carter Administration pursued human rights policies that gave hope to people living under vicious rulers. Juntas and military and civilian dictators feared that the United States might implement President Carter's human rights doctrine and refuse to do business with them. Under Ronald Reagan, all that is changed. Someone in the Administration may say something unpleasant about human rights conditions in a given country, but no despot trembles. Soon another official will say or do something to comfort the offended government.
My harsh view of this Administration's record stems from my experience as Assistant Secretary of State for ...