An ethical foreign policy - an impossibility.

An evening that was both hopeful and highly depressing.

A "talking politics" talk entitled 'an ethical foreign policy' that I entered fully convinced that such a thing is impossible. And which I left with my mind unchanged.

This was not due to the ideas of those present; we had an informed, intelligent and hopeful debate. Foreign policy should be formed around the concepts of honesty and coherence. Ethical governance forms the base for an ethical foreign policy. War should not be contracted out to the private sector. The arms trade should not be subsidised and supported and advertised by the state. Intervention should not be undertaken lightly. RtoP is a problematic norm. Aid should not be provided to states that abuse their people.

The problem is that we do not run the country. And we never will because we are people of conscience. Who have morals and stand by them. Those at the top are hungry for power and re-election and the vast majority if them will not let a bit of human rights or their morals get in their way.

With all due respect to him, MPs like David Drew (was, and hopefully will be again) will never get into government because they vote with their conscience against their party. And so those who do get into government are those who vote with the party no matter what their own views. For the sake of getting a bit of extra power. And these are the people forming foreign policy.

Couple this with the dominance of the national interest; specifically energy security and economic expansion; in all areas of policy, what hope do ethics, human rights or even the rule of law have?

Please feel free to disagree with me if you think I'm wrong. I would like to be proved so. The conclusion I have arrived at is not a welcome one.