What does Ferguson, Mo., look like from afar right now? For some overseas critics of American foreign policy, it looks like a teachable moment to point out how the U.S. would do better to confront its own issues at home instead of policing the rest of the world.

Also read: Freedom of the Press Endangered in Ferguson

As the BBC relayed Wednesday, the racially charged conflict in Ferguson illustrates how America can’t strike a superior pose when it comes to judging the social policies and human rights practices of other countries:

Much of the criticism comes from those the US has taken to task for human rights violations. They say that while US has tried to position itself as a defender of human rights abroad, it seemingly cannot uphold the same standard within its own borders. Indeed, Amnesty International, the international human rights watchdog group, has deployed a team to Ferguson to observe law enforcement and support the community. It’s the first time the group has made such a move in the US, they said. Such news contributed to a growing narrative abroad. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei lashed out on Twitter at what he considered to be the US’s crimes against its own people. “Today the world is a world of tyranny and lies. The flag of #HumanRights is borne by enemies of human rights w/US leading them! #Ferguson,” he posted.

As would be expected, Chinese and Russian news sources also joined in, with one Op-Ed writer for China’s Global Times remarking that the situation in Ferguson “tells us that racism still overshadows minorities in the US even while they have a black president,” the BBC added.

–Posted by Kasia Anderson