America has, over many years, done an excellent job of portraying itself as the bastion of human rights, freedom and democracy. However, there is only one problem with that wondrous self-assessment; it is simply not the case as it has become very evident that, based on this nation's hubristic actions around the world and it continued repressive actions domestically, it has forfeited the right to that distinction. We might say that a nation that no longer practices what it preaches, should just stop preaching.

At the end of the Second World War, when America had established itself as the premier military power, it had to choose whether it would exercise this power as the facilitator of peace or if it would use this power as a dominating force. We now are well aware of what role America chose to take as illustrated by its succession of wars and the building of a massive military empire. War is in and peace is out.

After America had come to that critical crossroads and had chosen the entirely wrong direction here is what has transpired. While it once vigorously promoted itself as the leading proponent of world peace, freedom, democracy and the champion of human rights it no longer adheres to those principles that it once considered to be sacred. In the following, let's see how this government's actions around the world are actually the opposite of what it wants the world to believe.

Starting with the issue of human rights: The general definition of human rights is: "The basic rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled, to include the right to life and liberty, freedom of thought and expression, and equality before the law." Now let's add a few associated excerpts from the Universal Declaration of Humans Rights of the United Nations:

"Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person."

"No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment."

"No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile."

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