I know there has been a lot of controversy of Trumps and other presidents appearing to ignore human rights violations and opening up relationships with them. I hold a view that if we rule out military overthrow our best long term strategy is to gradually weave them into the international market places as long as they continue to make concessions even minor ones as long as they are going in the right direction. This might mean on occasion condemning their actions but not necessarily pushing them completely back out. I would like to think that as they become more prosperous the threat of isolation might carry more weight and gradually they would begin to conform to international acceptable standards.
Yeah, simply refusing to deal with the country seems more like sticking our heads in the sand than taking the high road. On the other hand, it doesn’t seem right to be in contact but not address those issues or look the other way. And sanctions would have to be extremely clever to punish the leadership but not the people, or dismantle abuses without trampling on tradition. Not to mention, we would have to do some work to be considered a champion of human rights in our own territory. While the resources of our government would be useful, the actual strategies are probably better suited to activists and academics than career politicians.
That’s exactly the purpose of the Magnitsky Act, which allegedly was part of the reason for the 2016 Trump Tower meeting: to lobby the Trump team for the repeal of the Act if Trump were elected.
Fine. And countries like China or Russia have no problem dealing with them.
Another way of helping these countries is to persuade dictators to step down (e.g. Idi Amin in exile in Saudi). Unfortunately the UK and EU bollixed that with their treatment of Pinochet.
What there should be is a United Democratic Nations where joining is based upon countries that have a proven track record of democracy and achieving human rights for their citizens. Benefits include free trade. Outsiders trade at a major disadvantage.
Just so I’m clear: best, long-term, for us, or for them, or — well, for whom?