America’s hypocrisy means it can no longer lay claim to the global moral high ground

Moral authority comprises many things: adhering to immutable truths, being of good character, embracing diversity in all of its forms, embodying a humanity that’s decent, lawful and peaceful. For the self-proclaimed leader of the free world, America’s moral superiority is in decline. This decline is aided by its hypocrisy, national and foreign policy disasters and failure to address its violent colonial past.

America is a nation forged by war, slavery, racism and religiosity. Following white settlement, as many as 95 per cent of indigenous Americans died from epidemics, atrocities and ethnic cleansing. Many were dispossessed, culturally suppressed, marginalised and impoverished.

Trillions have been expended on the US’ foreign wars, regime change and covert operations. Then United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan said the US-led war on Iraq was illegal and not in conformity with the UN charter. Up to 650,000 excess Iraqi deaths are estimated to have occurred during the invasion. Former US president George W. Bush, British ex-prime minister Tony Blair and Australia’s John Howard have never faced charges for alleged war crimes. Yet Nato calls for President Vladimir Putin to be tried for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

America is losing the war on drugs, slow to address rampant gun violence, and loath to provide universal healthcare. It’s estimated that 1.5 million Americans have died by firearms between 1968 and 2017. China and Russia are more pro-choice on women’s health than America, with the US Supreme Court recently overturning Roe vs Wade to negate a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion. Restrictions on abortion affect the health and well-being of low-income American women. Laws which provide no exceptions for rape or incest, as in some states, are perverted.

America champions free speech unless it’s politically embarrassing, as evidenced by the relentless decade-long pursuit to extradite and prosecute Julian Assange. The WikiLeaks founder published classified US files, which exposed America’s military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan, including killings, torture and high numbers of civilian deaths. If convicted, Assange faces up to 175 years in a US jail.

Superpowers lose their moral compass and legitimacy when their leaders champion falsehood over truth, vacuity over substance, and conflict over peace.

Dr Michael Walton, New South Wales, Australia