Meanwhile in a parallel universe called Humility...

The priceless Madeleine Albright sobers up

I helped write a report.  On Sri Lanka.  I lied.  I regurgitated unsubstantiated claims which were based on numbers tossed around by terrorists and their apologists.  I then did the moral strut that those who take up office in the US State Department are tutored in prior to induction.  I blamed the international community, ‘for neglecting its responsibility to take timely action when it was apparent that violations of humanitarian law were taking place.’

Having made a case, US-style, I then blamed the Sri Lankan Government for ‘denying that mass killing of civilians and war crimes took place’ and for ‘obstructing international efforts to investigate’.

I am 76 years old but my memory doesn’t fail me. I remember the time I was Bill Clinton’s Secretary of State.  I remember saying ‘We have consistent principles and flexible tactics’.  That was a brilliant line; made it possible to justify any atrocities and crimes against humanity we committed.  Like Iraq.  When asked about the half million Iraqi children killed by US-led sanctions, I said ‘the price is worth it!’

I have said other things like that.  I really don’t give a damn about who gets killed nor how many get killed as long as we get what we want, be it control of oil, consecration of dictators who do our bidding or even simple, old-fashioned one-upmanship.  Anything is a ‘price that’s worth it’, let R2P, the international community, horror at crimes against humanity be damned!

We are the United States of Arrogance, didn’t you know.  This is why I once said ‘If we have to use force, it is because we are America! We are the indispensable nation. We stand tall, and we see further into the future.’  Our future, our interests, that is. 

So if anyone in Sri Lanka is offended, all I can say is, ‘Up yours dude, this is how we do it; we have rules for others and none for ourselves!’