[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 43 (Wednesday, March 11, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E635-E636]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               SENDING THE WRONG MESSAGE ON HUMAN RIGHTS

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                           HON. FRANK R. WOLF

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 11, 2009

  Mr. WOLF. Madam Speaker, I would like to share with our colleagues an 
editorial from

[[Page E636]]

yesterday's Washington Post highlighting Secretary of State Clinton's 
disappointing start on human rights. In referencing some of her recent 
comments, the editorial rightly notes, ``Ms. Clinton is doing a 
disservice to her own department--and sending a message to rulers 
around the world that their abuses won't be taken seriously by this 
U.S. administration.'' Secretary Clinton is sending the wrong message 
on human rights.

               [From the Washington Post, Mar. 10, 2009]

                              Some Friends

       Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton continues to 
     devalue and undermine the U.S. diplomatic tradition of human 
     rights advocacy. On her first foreign trip, to Asia, she was 
     dismissive about raising human rights concerns with China's 
     communist government, saying ``those issues can't interfere'' 
     with economic, security or environmental matters. In last 
     week's visit to the Middle East and Europe, she undercut the 
     State Department's own reporting regarding two problematic 
     American allies: Egypt and Turkey.
       According to State's latest report on Egypt, issued Feb. 
     25, ``the government's respect for human rights remained 
     poor'' during 2008 ``and serious abuses continued in many 
     areas.'' It cited torture by security forces and a decline in 
     freedom of the press, association and religion. Ms. Clinton 
     was asked about those conclusions during an interview she 
     gave to the al-Arabiya satellite network in Sharm el-Sheikh, 
     Egypt. Her reply contained no expression of concern about the 
     deteriorating situation. ``We issue these reports on every 
     country,'' she said. ``We hope that it will be taken in the 
     spirit in which it is offered, that we all have room for 
     improvement.''
       Ms. Clinton was then asked whether there would be any 
     connection between the report and a prospective invitation to 
     President Hosni Mubarak to visit Washington. ``It is not in 
     any way connected,'' she replied, adding: ``I really consider 
     President and Mrs. Mubarak to be friends of my family. So I 
     hope to see him often here in Egypt and in the United 
     States.'' Ms. Clinton's words will be treasured by al-Qaeda 
     recruiters and anti-American propagandists throughout the 
     Middle East. She appears oblivious to how offensive such 
     statements are to the millions of Egyptians who loathe Mr. 
     Mubarak's oppressive government and blame the United States 
     for propping it up.
       The new secretary of state delivered a similar shock in 
     Turkey to liberal supporters of press freedom, now under 
     siege by the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip 
     Erdogan. According to the State Department report, ``senior 
     government officials, including Prime Minister Erdogan, made 
     statements during the year strongly criticizing the press and 
     media business figures, particularly following the publishing 
     of reports on alleged corruption . . . connected to the 
     ruling party.'' That was an understatement: In fact, Mr. 
     Erdogan's government has mounted an ugly campaign against one 
     of Turkey's largest media conglomerates, presenting it with a 
     $500 million tax bill in a maneuver that has been compared to 
     Russia's treatment of independent media.
       Ms. Clinton was asked by a Turkish journalist what she told 
     Mr. Erdogan when he complained about the State Department 
     report. She answered: ``Well, my reaction was that we put out 
     this report every year, and I fully understand . . . no 
     politician ever likes the press criticizing them.'' 
     ``Overall,'' she concluded, ``we think that Turkey has made 
     tremendous progress in freedom of speech and freedom of 
     religion and human rights, and we're proud of that.''
       In fact, as the State Department has documented, Turkey is 
     retreating on freedom of speech. In Egypt, the human rights 
     situation also is getting worse rather than better. By 
     minimizing those facts, Ms. Clinton is doing a disservice to 
     her own department--and sending a message to rulers around 
     the world that their abuses won't be taken seriously by this 
     U.S. administration.

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