ADVANCE Man

Fire of Liberty
Congressman Tom Lantos(D-CA) as well as a large bi-partisan majority in the House have passed the Advance Democratic Values , Address Nondemocratic Countries, and Enhance Democracy Act of 2005 to help the US advance democratic values and ideas throughout the world. It's great to see that we have such a brave champion of freedom and democracy like Rep. Tom Lantos. Here's what The New York Sun reported on Lantos's bill:

The little-noticed legislation passed the House a week ago today as part of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act by a vote of 351-78. Mr. Lantos last week told the Sun that the bill "puts the meat on the bones of the president's second inaugural address." In that speech, President Bush said, "It is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world."

The bill would allow the State Department to "use all instruments of United States influence to support, promote, and strengthen democratic principles, practices, and values in foreign countries." It charges the CIA and Treasury Department with tracking the personal assets of dictators and their associates.

ADVANCE would require the secretary of state to approve an annual report designating nations as either democratic, undemocratic, or in transition. Currently, Foggy Bottom does not make such formal distinctions, though a human rights group created by Congress, the Freedom House, does, ranking countries around the world as "free," partly free," and "not free."

The bill would also make promotions in the Foreign Service for diplomats serving in dictatorships contingent partially on how successful they were in convincing their host country to embrace political freedom.

It's about time we the State Department and Congresss to put some more background in promoting President Bush's policy of promoting democracy in the world. Since the Global War on Terror is a generational hard-slog that will be fought with a multitude of tools from State, Treasury, Homeland Security, NSC as well as the Pentagon, Latos's bill will only strengthen our efforts. I just hope the Senate follows through.