'Fergusonstan' offers lesson in humility for America

http://mypaper.sg/opinion/fergusonstan-offers-lesson-humility-america-20140827

Published on Aug 27, 2014

'Fergusonstan' offers lesson in humility for America

LEON HADAR

FOR most of the post-World War II era, the United States has placed the goal of spreading liberal democratic values at the top of its foreign policy agenda.
Republican and Democratic administrations have invested billions of dollars - and in some cases resorted to the use of military power - to challenge dictatorships and promote democracy in the Middle East and elsewhere.
In fact, there are several US government agencies, like the National Endowment for Democracy, whose sole job is to support democratic institutions in other countries.
More recently, US officials and lawmakers have blasted Russian President Vladimir Putin, who was elected to office through open and democratic elections, for alleged human rights violations, not to mention similar criticism directed against governments in Asia, like China and Myanmar, and in the Middle East, where the Egyptian military that had ousted an elected Islamist from power has been a major target for American censure, and has been punished with sanctions.
So you probably could imagine the smirk on the face of Egypt's foreign minister when his office issued a statement last week calling on the US to "show restraint" in its reaction to protests in Missouri. http://mypaper.sg/opinion/fergusonstan-offers-lesson-humility-america-20140827