Yeah, how did that work out for him? You guys love using the most insane things, if having a sane foreign policy is being seen as weak, so be it.
Unsuccessfully of course. I'm not advocating the same policy as the Obama administration. I'm simply saying that the policies in this bill are not that radical in terms of what we've done before- IIRC we placed economic sanctions/travel restrictions on South African leaders in the 1970s, and 1980s, and it worked rather successfully. Along with Serbia in the 1990s.
I don't see how using a diplomatic tool that been one of our most effective weapons is 'insane'.
1 and 1B. ok...pretty sure everyone knows about this, this isn't the reason I'm opposing the idiocy of this bill despite what Blair may claim.
Well if everyone knows about it, let's pass a resolution that affirms that Congress will call out human right abuses. I believe we've passed resolutions on Boko Harram, ISIL, the Armenian Genocide in the past, and there's a wealth of records of other chambers doing it. (the UK parliament voting to recognize Palestine in 2014 for example)
Again, don't mind this, you will see this in the Foreign Policy Review anyways, which Blair should know considering he was on the NSC, but he won't tell you that part.
I think it's widely know that I'm on the NSC. I never said that you were opposed to sanctions did I? If it's on the foreign policy review, and if the President thinks it then we should legislate to affirm it into legislation. (Something I did with my Cuba legislation for example)
Let's face it, the UN doesn't really have all that much power when it comes to actually doing anything unless you have real coalitions, 1-2 of the UN Security Council members adamantly oppose any action.
That's just wrong. There's numerous examples in the UN where minority reports, resolutions, and even the active
opposition of veto nations like the US have opposed it. Apartheid in South Africa is the main example where African countries (despite being in the minority in the 60s) used the UN as a soapbox to highlight, express and frankly shout about Apartheid. Lead to reports-investigations-public pressure-UN sanctions-US sanctions-end of Apartheid.
There's an entire school of where operating outside of the UN, such as Kosovo in 1999, was extremely successful (but that's not what I'm advocating here) and showed that genocide/ethnic cleansing/war crimes can be stopped even if there isn't a UN mandate. (Under the terms of
Responsibility to Protect, something I'm sure the President knows about)
3. Wow, you Blairs' sure do love regime change, eh?
I joined the Labour Party after Ed Miliband opposed Syrian Air Strikes in 2013. Considering that TB, and the 'liberal interventionist' wing strongly supported the air strikes that't kind of a invalid point to make. I appreciate that the President has been able to make a very witty joke however.
This is not ours to decide and I will not be allowing any more regime change military actions
4. Wow, let's do something else to set Russia off, that's the way to build dialogue!
Whether it's allies such as Israel, Saudi Arabia or India, or countries where we can improve relations like Russia and Iran I believe that Atlasia has a duty, as a member of the international community to call out, when we see actions that we disagree with.
As someone who's been to Serbia, got close friends living there, and studied the history of the Balkans I know that the international community has to play a role in ensuring that international law, and human rights are being respected in cases like this.
Syria is a signature to various international treaties- the least we can do is give the UN a mandate to investigate this
