Military

Democracy, Development, Human Rights, and Rule of Law

John Kerry for President

America was born in the pursuit of an idea - that a free people with diverse beliefs can govern themselves in peace. For more than a century, America defended, encouraged, and promoted that idea around the world. And over and over, we have done it by exercising American leadership to forge powerful alliances - with longtime allies and reluctant friends; with nations already living in the light of democracy and with peoples struggling to join them.

Support for democracy, human rights and the rule of law are among the most fundamental principles on which America was founded, and John Kerry and John Edwards will fight to restore America's longstanding, bipartisan commitment to supporting the spread of democracy, with the understanding that America will be safer in a world of democracies.

As president, John Kerry will uphold the international human rights standards that America helped establish and will return the United States to full membership in the international community. By working with those who share our values, we will isolate our enemies rather than ourselves. And under John Kerry, America will again practice at home what it preaches abroad, respecting the rule of law and the fundamental rights of all citizens.

John Kerry and John Edwards will restore America's ability and commitment to act as a credible force for democracy and human rights, starting in Iraq. Torture is unacceptable. John Kerry and John Edwards share the American people's revulsion at the incidents at Abu Ghraib and other detention facilities. These acts endangered the lives of our soldiers, made their mission harder to accomplish, and contradict everything that the brave men and women of our armed forces are fighting to defend. As Commander in Chief, John Kerry is determined to provide the leadership needed to make sure that such behavior does not happen again.