II. Champion Aspirations for Human Dignity

A. Summary of National Security Strategy 2002

The United States must defend liberty and justice because these principles are right and true for all people everywhere. These nonnegotiable demands of human dignity are protected most securely in democracies. The United States Government will work to advance human dignity in word and deed, speaking out for freedom and against violations of human rights and allocating appropriate resources to advance these ideals.

B. Successes and Challenges since 2002

Since 2002, the world has seen extraordinary progress in the expansion of freedom, democracy, and human dignity:

• The peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq have replaced tyrannies with democracies.

• In Afghanistan, the tyranny of the Taliban has been replaced by a freely-elected government; Afghans have written and ratified a constitution guaranteeing rights and freedoms unprecedented in their history; and an elected legislature gives thepeople a regular voice in their government.

• In Iraq, a tyrant has been toppled; over 8 million Iraqis voted in the nation's first free and fair election; a freely negotiated constitution was passed by a referendum in which almost 10 million Iraqis participated; and, for the first time in their history, nearly 12 million Iraqis have elected a permanent government under a popularly determined constitution.

• The people of Lebanon have rejected the heavy hand of foreign rule. The people ofEgypt have experienced more open but still flawed elections. Saudi Arabia has taken some preliminary steps to give its citizens more of a voice in their government. Jordan has made progress in opening its political process. Kuwait and Morocco are pursuing agendas of political reform.

• The “color revolutions” in Georgia, Ukraine, and Kyrgyzstan have brought new hope for freedom across the Eurasian landmass.

• Democracy has made further advances in Africa, Latin America, and Asia, with peaceful transfers of power; growth in independent judiciaries and the rule of law; improved election practices; and expanding political and economic rights.

The human desire for freedom is universal, but the growth of freedom is not inevitable. Without support from free nations, freedom's spread could be hampered by the challenges we face:

• Many governments are at fragile stages of political development and need toconsolidate democratic institutions – and leaders that have won democratic electionsneed to uphold the principles of democracy;

• Some governments have regressed, eroding the democratic freedoms their peoplesenjoy;

• Some governments have not delivered the benefits of effective democracy andprosperity to their citizens, leaving them susceptible to or taken over by demagoguespeddling an anti-free market authoritarianism;

• Some regimes seek to separate economic liberty from political liberty, pursuingprosperity while denying their people basic rights and freedoms; and

• Tyranny persists in its harshest form in a number of nations.

C. The Way Ahead

The United States has long championed freedom because doing so reflects our values andadvances our interests. It reflects our values because we believe the desire for freedomlives in every human heart and the imperative of human dignity transcends all nations and cultures.

Championing freedom advances our interests because the survival of liberty at homeincreasingly depends on the success of liberty abroad. Governments that honor their citizens' dignity and desire for freedom tend to uphold responsible conduct toward othernations, while governments that brutalize their people also threaten the peace andstability of other nations. Because democracies are the most responsible members of theinternational system, promoting democracy is the most effective long-term measure forstrengthening international stability; reducing regional conflicts; countering terrorism andterror-supporting extremism; and extending peace and prosperity.

To protect our Nation and honor our values, the United States seeks to extend freedomacross the globe by leading an international effort to end tyranny and to promote effectivedemocracy.

1. Explaining the Goal: Ending Tyranny

Tyranny is the combination of brutality, poverty, instability, corruption, and suffering,forged under the rule of despots and despotic systems. People living in nations such asthe Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Iran, Syria, Cuba, Belarus, Burma,and Zimbabwe know firsthand the meaning of tyranny; it is the bleak reality they endureevery day. And the nations they border know the consequences of tyranny as well, forthe misrule of tyrants at home leads to instability abroad. All tyrannies threaten the world's interest in freedom's expansion, and some tyrannies, in their pursuit of WMD orsponsorship of terrorism, threaten our immediate security interests as well.

Tyranny is not inevitable, and recent history reveals the arc of the tyrant's fate. The 20thcentury has been called the "Democracy Century", as tyrannies fell one by one anddemocracies rose in their stead. At mid-century about two dozen of the world's governments were democratic; 50 years later this number was over 120. The democraticrevolution has embraced all cultures and all continents.

Though tyranny has few advocates, it needs more adversaries. In today's world, no tyrant's rule can survive without the support or at least the tolerance of other nations. Toend tyranny we must summon the collective outrage of the free world against theoppression, abuse, and impoverishment that tyrannical regimes inflict on their people –and summon their collective action against the dangers tyrants pose to the security of theworld.

An end to tyranny will not mark an end to all global ills. Disputes, disease, disorder,poverty, and injustice will outlast tyranny, confronting democracies long after the lasttyrant has fallen. Yet tyranny must not be tolerated – it is a crime of man, not a fact ofnature.

2. Explaining the Goal: Promoting Effective Democracies

As tyrannies give way, we must help newly free nations build effective democracies: states that are respectful of human dignity, accountable to their citizens, and responsibletowards their neighbors. Effective democracies:

• Honor and uphold basic human rights, including freedom of religion, conscience,speech, assembly, association, and press;

• Are responsive to their citizens, submitting to the will of the people, especially when people vote to change their government;

• Exercise effective sovereignty and maintain order within their own borders, protect independent and impartial systems of justice, punish crime, embrace the rule of law,and resist corruption; and

• Limit the reach of government, protecting the institutions of civil society, includingthe family, religious communities, voluntary associations, private property, independent business, and a market economy.

In effective democracies, freedom is indivisible. Political, religious, and economicliberty advance together and reinforce each other. Some regimes have opened theireconomies while trying to restrict political or religious freedoms. This will not work.Over time, as people gain control over their economic lives, they will insist on morecontrol over their political and personal lives as well. Yet political progress can bejeopardized if economic progress does not keep pace. We will harness the tools ofeconomic assistance, development aid, trade, and good governance to help ensure thatnew democracies are not burdened with economic stagnation or endemic corruption.

Elections are the most visible sign of a free society and can play a critical role inadvancing effective democracy. But elections alone are not enough – they must bereinforced by other values, rights, and institutions to bring about lasting freedom. Ourgoal is human liberty protected by democratic institutions.

Participation in elections by individuals or parties must include their commitment to theequality of all citizens; minority rights; civil liberties; voluntary and peaceful transfer ofpower; and the peaceful resolution of differences. Effective democracy also requiresinstitutions that can protect individual liberty and ensure that the government isresponsive and accountable to its citizens. There must be an independent media toinform the public and facilitate the free exchange of ideas. There must be politicalassociations and political parties that can freely compete. Rule of law must be reinforcedby an independent judiciary, a professional legal establishment, and an honest andcompetent police force.

These principles are tested by the victory of Hamas candidates in the recent elections inthe Palestinian territories. The Palestinian people voted in a process that was free, fair,and inclusive.

The Palestinian people having made their choice at the polls, the burden now shifts tothose whom they have elected to take the steps necessary to advance peace, prosperity,and statehood for the Palestinian people. Hamas has been designated as a terroristorganization by the United States and European Union (EU) because it has embracedterrorism and deliberately killed innocent civilians. The international community hasmade clear that there is a fundamental contradiction between armed group and militiaactivities and the building of a democratic state. The international community has alsomade clear that a two-state solution to the conflict requires all participants in thedemocratic process to renounce violence and terror, accept Israel's right to exist, anddisarm as outlined in the Roadmap. These requirements are clear, firm, and of longstanding. The opportunity for peace and statehood – a consistent goal of thisAdministration – is open if Hamas will abandon its terrorist roots and change itsrelationship with Israel.

The elected Hamas representatives also have an opportunity and a responsibility touphold the principles of democratic government, including protection of minority rightsand basic freedoms and a commitment to a recurring, free, and fair electoral process. Byrespecting these principles, the new Palestinian leaders can demonstrate their owncommitment to freedom and help bring a lasting democracy to the Palestinian territories.But any elected government that refuses to honor these principles cannot be consideredfully democratic, however it may have taken office.

3. How We Will Advance Freedom: Principled in Goals and Pragmatic in Means

We have a responsibility to promote human freedom. Yet freedom cannot be imposed; itmust be chosen. The form that freedom and democracy take in any land will reflect thehistory, culture, and habits unique to its people.

The United States will stand with and support advocates of freedom in every land.Though our principles are consistent, our tactics will vary. They will reflect, in part,where each government is on the path from tyranny to democracy. In some cases, wewill take vocal and visible steps on behalf of immediate change. In other cases, we willlend more quiet support to lay the foundation for future reforms. As we consider whichapproaches to take, we will be guided by what will most effectively advance freedom's cause while we balance other interests that are also vital to the security and well-being ofthe American people.

In the cause of ending tyranny and promoting effective democracy, we will employ thefull array of political, economic, diplomatic, and other tools at our disposal, including:

• Speaking out against abuses of human rights;

• Supporting publicly democratic reformers in repressive nations, including by holdinghigh-level meetings with them at the White House, Department of State, and U.S. Embassies;

• Using foreign assistance to support the development of free and fair elections, rule oflaw, civil society, human rights, women's rights, free media, and religious freedom;

• Tailoring assistance and training of military forces to support civilian control of themilitary and military respect for human rights in a democratic society;

• Applying sanctions that designed to target those who rule oppressive regimes whilesparing the people;

• Encouraging other nations not to support oppressive regimes;

• Partnering with other democratic nations to promote freedom, democracy, and humanrights in specific countries and regions;

• Strengthening and building new initiatives such as the Broader Middle East and NorthAfrica Initiative's Foundation for the Future, the Community of Democracies, and theUnited Nations Democracy Fund;

• Forming creative partnerships with nongovernmental organizations and other civilsociety voices to support and reinforce their work;

• Working with existing international institutions such as the United Nations andregional organizations such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation inEurope, the African Union (AU), and the Organization of American States (OAS) tohelp implement their democratic commitments, and helping establish democracycharters in regions that lack them;

• Supporting condemnation in multilateral institutions of egregious violations of humanrights and freedoms;

• Encouraging foreign direct investment in and foreign assistance to countries wherethere is a commitment to the rule of law, fighting corruption, and democraticaccountability; and

• Concluding free trade agreements (FTAs) that encourage countries to enhance therule of law, fight corruption, and further democratic accountability.

These tools must be used vigorously to protect the freedoms that face particular perilaround the world: religious freedom, women's rights, and freedom for men, women, and children caught in the cruel network of human trafficking.

• Against a terrorist enemy that is defined by religious intolerance, we defend the First Freedom: the right of people to believe and worship according to the dictates of their own conscience, free from the coercion of the state, the coercion of the majority, orthe coercion of a minority that wants to dictate what others must believe.

• No nation can be free if half its population is oppressed and denied fundamentalrights. We affirm the inherent dignity and worth of women, and support vigorouslytheir full participation in all aspects of society.

• Trafficking in persons is a form of modern-day slavery, and we strive for its totalabolition. Future generations will not excuse those who turn a blind eye to it.

Our commitment to the promotion of freedom is a commitment to walk alongsidegovernments and their people as they make the difficult transition to effective democracies. We will not abandon them before the transition is secure because immaturedemocracies can be prone to conflict and vulnerable to exploitation by terrorists. We willnot let the challenges of democratic transitions frighten us into clinging to the illusory stability of the authoritarian.

America's closest alliances and friendships are with countries with whom we sharecommon values and principles. The more countries demonstrate that they treat their owncitizens with respect and are committed to democratic principles, the closer and strongertheir relationship with America is likely to be.

The United States will lead and calls on other nations to join us in a commoninternational effort. All free nations have a responsibility to stand together for freedombecause all free nations share an interest in freedom's advance.