One way to get a robust, comparative fix on how obscene American global preaching about human rights has become is (borrowing a vivid image from Caitlin Johnstone) to imagine what the world might think about a scorching lecture from a Taliban leader on the Western oppression of women and women’s rights.

What America does

Almost three years ago, Caitlin Johnstone convincingly explained that:

The US empire is indisputably the most murderous and destructive power structure on the world stage today. No other power has _spent the 21st century_ killing people _by the millions_ in wars of aggression. No other power is circling the planet with _hundreds of military bases_ and working continuously to _destroy any government which disobeys it__. No other power is starving entire populations with_ _economic sanctions__,_ _military blockades_ and _brazen theft__. No other power has been_ _interfering in foreign elections_ anywhere near as often. No other power is terrorising populations around the world with wars, covert ops, drone strikes, proxy conflicts, and staged coups and uprisings. No other power is using its military, economic, diplomatic and media dominance to bully the world into serving its interests. The US exports most of its tyranny outside its own borders (though _certainly_ not _all of it__), but it is nevertheless plainly the most tyrannical regime on earth._

Since then, Washington has, just for example:

• Become eagerly, comprehensively and criminally complicit, with massive weapons and logistical support, in Israel’s horrifying, never-ending Gaza genocide;
• Strong-armed its wretched Global West, limpet allies into supporting this vast, homicidal Zionist project; and
• Secretly conspired with Israel to bomb Iran jointly and massively after treacherously misleading Tehran into thinking it was committed to negotiations.

What America tells the world it must do

Never mind this constantly expanding catalogue of exceptionally malevolent behaviour – America is doing God’s work so preaching must continue.

Consider some recent examples.

The US Consul-General in Hong Kong, Gregory May, recently announced that he is relocating to take up a senior post at the US Embassy in Beijing. Predictably he delivered a sharp, departing lecture to Hong Kong, about “erosion of freedom” at the hands of mainland Chinese and Hong Kong authorities. About a year ago, he instructed Hong Kong authorities to “stop the slide towards ever-greater repression".

As a senior diplomat, one might have hoped for a less crass, hectoring departure. But May is a US diplomat. His pulpit thus stands squarely within the swirling, bloody centre of the multi-decade, globalised, appalling abuse of American hard power. It follows that duplicitous preaching, to maintain American hegemony, is a pivotal job requirement.

Of course, while May was finger-jabbing about the erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong, Washington was, for example:

• Savagely attacking its own leading universities to shut down basic operating freedoms;
• Rounding up and heavily punishing — and imprisoning — students in the US for expressing their views over the Gaza genocide and related matters;
• Drawing up plans to cancel valid student visas en masse on political grounds; and
• Organising mass deportations, with enthusiastic violence and scant or zero due process.

But the top prize for supercilious American political preaching must surely be awarded to the US president himself. There are many examples that make this so, but very recently Donald Trump eclipsed his own exceptional benchmarks.

In a social media post, he scolded Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei for failing to show sufficient gratitude for the way in which he (Trump) saved Khamenei’s life.

Here is the gist of what unfolded:

• The US caused massive destruction and death by illegally bombing Iran with the world’s biggest conventional bombs (handily testing them in action for the first time after Tehran was left more unguarded than usual because Donald Trump indicated that he was still negotiating with Iran; but
• I saved your life, all at the same time – and I could have ended it so easily - said President Trump, so;
• Where is your gratitude?

This is hard to beat: it could be the plot-core, with some re-tuning, for a Billy Wilder film centred on 1920s Chicago.

Conclusion

The world can remain confident that fearlessly conceited American preaching is in zero danger of fading away. The world is also left to wonder, more than ever today if there is any measurable sense of shame left within the primary circle of Washington power.

The views expressed in this article may or may not reflect those of Pearls and Irritations..