Barnett : earlier decades is also about celebrating our values , like human rights . Barnett : Even if the United States had an unblemished human rights record , the Bashar al-Assads of this world are still going to massacre their people and authoritarian governments U.S. has not fallen behind in providing moral leadership in the world . He says the current period is no different from earlier times , it is not `` unusual '' or `` cruel '' Michael Barnett : Simply put , the America has consistently chosen national interests over values .
Barnett : earlier decades is also about celebrating our values , like human rights . Barnett : U.S. has not fallen behind in providing moral leadership in the world . He says the current period is no different from earlier times , it is not `` unusual '' or `` cruel '' Michael Barnett : Simply put , the America has consistently chosen national interests over values .