Foreign policy hypocrisy
By Charles Bloomer
web posted February 21, 2000
The United States and the European Union have shown incredible hypocrisy in their foreign policy by their recent response to Austrian elections. The US and EU have threatened and carried out a diplomatic ostracization of Austria since the Austrians decided to include members of the Freedom Party in the coalition government. The Clinton administration recalled the US ambassador. EU states have given Austrian diplomats the cold shoulder. All this over democratic elections in a sovereign nation.
Joerg Haider
The center of attention seems to be Joerg Haider, chairman of the Freedom Party. Adjectives such as "extreme", "radical", even "Nazi" have been used to describe Mr. Haider, who occasionally says things that are not held as "politically correct" by today's socialist governments of Europe and the United States. Evidence to support this name-calling is in short supply by Mr. Haider's critics. In Austria, A Country Study, published by the Library of Congress, Haider is described as "a handsome, dashing figure whose self-confidence strikes many observers as verging on arrogance". One would think that, with all the vitriol directed toward Mr. Haider that he was about to be crowned as a new, right wing dictator, a modern day heir to the Habsburg Throne ready to revive the Holy Roman Empire. Yet, Mr. Haider is a provincial governor and not a part of the new national government.
Austria is a landlocked European country with a population of about 8 million. The CIA World Factbook lists Austria as a "Federal Republic", and says that "Austria has a well-developed market economy with a high standard of living". The publication also lists 5 political parties and 5 political pressure groups. No international disputes are listed. Austrian neutrality was incorporated into the Austrian constitution by the Law of October 26, 1955.
The hypocrisy is so blatantly obvious. The United States and all 14 states of the European Union that condemned Austria have diplomatic ties with Communist China, but we do not hear the Communist dictatorship of China called, "extreme", or "radical". In fact, the Clinton administration is very careful not to offend the Chinese leadership.
The same CIA World Factbook lists China as a "Communist state". China has one political party, and "no meaningful political opposition groups exist". Mainland China has not had a free election in at least 50 years. The economy is said to be moving from a "sluggish Soviet-style centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented economy? still within a rigid political framework of Communist Party control". China is involved in at least 9 international disputes involving land, borders, and maritime claims.
Other differences make Austria look rather benign.
Since coming to power in 1949, the communist regime in China has killed an estimated 20 million of its own people. In 1950, Communist China invaded and seized Tibet, killing a million Tibetans in the process. China maintains a stranglehold on Tibet to this day. In 1989, the communist government brutally crushed a pro-democracy demonstration in Tiananmen Square, killing an estimated 5 000 unarmed demonstrators. Even today, China has thousands of political prisoners and continues human rights abuses, including forced abortions, religious persecution, and forced prison labor.
Communist China ignores its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Communist China has sold nuclear, biological, and chemical capabilities to third world rogue nations, including Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria and North Korea. Chinese technology and assistance were instrumental in Pakistan's nuclear weapons development program. Communist China has also violated the terms of agreement in the Missile Technology Control Regime by selling missile technology to those same countries. That technology, which includes nuclear-capable missiles with ranges long enough to reach Europe, already threaten the Middle East and will threaten Europe and United States' interests in the very near future.
Communist China is a declared nuclear power with a rapidly growing nuclear arsenal. Recent events have shown that China has an active espionage program that has apparently been successful in gaining access to America's most advanced nuclear secrets. China has made subtle threats to use that nuclear weaponry against the United States.
The Communist Chinese government has been increasingly belligerent toward the democratically elected government of Taiwan. Mainland Chinese troops and missiles are massed across the Taiwan Straits. Beijing has become increasingly bellicose toward the US regarding our support of Taiwan and our interest in Taiwan's security. The Chinese ambassador to the US has, within the past few days, warned that Congressional support of the Taiwan Security Enhancement Act (TSEA) is a threat to U.S.-Chinese relations and increases the chance of war in the Taiwan Strait.
What actions has the United States taken in light of the growing Communist Chinese threat? Has the Clinton Administration recalled the US ambassador? Has the United States leadership taken (cont)
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