Obama must assert strong aid policy in upcoming trip
One of the larger points of contempt among political debaters this decade is America’s role as the world’s police force. This issue was only slightly subdued during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks because occupation made sense for national defense. However, in the recent years of waning fights in the Middle East, the issue resurrects itself in the mouths of those questioning our country’s arrogance.
Six women and two men were arrested in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, for spray-painting “SOS” and plastering President Barack Obama’s picture on their rooftops where his landing plane might see it when he visits this upcoming week. Their calls for help stem from the forced eviction the government placed on their small shanty village. Their homes are next to the airport’s only runway, and the airport wants the space to expand the runway and set up a security buffer zone. The eviction would cause 400 families to be without homes and compensated almost nothing.
The common argument is that we shouldn’t infringe on other countries’ politics, culture and people because it goes against the primary nature of democracy: making independent political decisions. However, while we are not responsible for rescuing every country with political or social issues, it’s prudent to respond to people asking for help. These people are often in destitute positions, helpless under their government’s control. They see “the land of the free and the home of the brave” as some kind of a savior.
Obama’s visit to Cambodia this week is the first ever by a sitting president. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen is employing a police force of 10,000 to ensure the visit goes smoothly and to continue his “determined effort to show Cambodia’s best face to the outside world.” The small disturbance with the airport doesn’t really bolster that image, though. Human rights groups are urging Obama to discuss human rights abuses with Sen during his visit in hopes of changing something for the people there.
I’m not advocating that we should invade Cambodia and monitor each shanty village to make sure the people aren’t treated wrongly, but Obama could use both his superstar status and political strength to ignite some change in their lives.
So far in international affairs, Obama has compromised more often than not, striking deals with other countries for bailouts and now befriending those countries’ neighbors as a preemptive precaution. Hopefully, now that Obama has been re-elected, he will choose to bring up the incident with the prime minister so these people will not be arrested in vain.
Since there are more pressing political issues at hand, all of the pressure should not fall on Obama either. If his visit can’t do anything to help these people, maybe the coverage of their story can bring in assistance from human rights organizations, effecting change indirectly.