Libertarians hit at Obama’s speech

The US should hold itself to a higher standard and stop acting unilaterally and violating international rules to protect its interests, the leader of the Libertarian Party has said.

Commenting on President Obama’s State of the Union speech, Mr Nick Sarwark who chairs the party’s National Committee said countries were using America as an example when explaining their violation of international rules.

“The American government has been willing to strike with drones, or with Special Forces, or soldiers all around the world wherever our government feels that our interests are jeopardized,” he told RT.com.

“The problem with violating international norms in that way is that it then opens it up for other governments to make the same excuses and say: ‘Well, Americans did it, so you can do it too!’” He said he believes America should hold itself to a higher standard. “There is a difference between being able to go act unilaterally, and it is being a good idea, good for America long-term. When we act unilaterally we get ourselves involved in conflicts that we end up having to finish.

“It’s easy to bomb Iraq, but then 11 years on you are still in Iraq trying to clean up the mess from that unilateral bombing. So just because we have the power to act unilaterally around the world doesn’t mean we should necessarily use it.

VIOLATED INTERNATIONAL LAW

Mr Brian Becker, director of Answer coalition, a protest umbrella group consisting of many antiwar and civil rights organizations, said the US had violated international law in campaigns against terrorists and other radical groups.

“There is no international law that’s considered to be criteria for US actions. The UN is quite clear that neither the United States nor any other country has the right to attack another entity except in the instance of imminent self-defense and yet the Obama administration has carried out a policy of endless drone strikes … As we can see in Iraq and Syria, they can declare who the enemy is,” he said.

He however said The Libertarian Party agrees with Obama some points he raised in his State of the Union Address.

“We agree with him that we have to show more leadership by finishing the job of closing Guantanamo, we agree with the opening of relations with Cuba. “Where we disagree is idea that we can again try and project military force around the world.’’