Ambassador Richard Williamson, a visiting professor of international studies at Northwestern, weighed the global community’s role in humanitarian crises Monday evening at a debate hosted by the Northwestern Political Union. He emphasized nations’ need to balance between realism and idealism to successfully carry out the responsibility to protect, or “R-to-P.”
Williamson has served as the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and the special envoy to Sudan during the Bush administration’s conflict resolution in Darfur. But on Monday, he drew primarily from the current situation in Libya to discuss international intervention with approximately 25 attendees, comprised primarily of Northwestern undergraduates.
“I supported going into Libya, and I don’t regret that [President Obama] did it, but I do think it’s going to give a bad name to R-to-P,” Williamson said. “The basic lesson is to get in, do the job fully and then get out,” he added.
As someone with extensive foreign policy experience, Williamson acknowledged the difficulties and complexities behind every decision when foreign nations are in conflict.
“It’s really hard to do these things,” he said. “And so the fact they’re making 100 mistakes is understandable.”
After Williamson’s opening address, attendees responded with questions and comments. One student discussed the ethics of R-to-P and the issue of using coercive force to save lives. Another student cited the Rwandan genocide as an example of when intervention can be seen as a disservice to those better equipped to confront the situation. Williamson replied to the comments, referencing personal experiences and anecdotes, and even throwing in a brief impression of President Bush.
Williamson is one of many guest speakers hosted by the Political Union, a nonpartisan student-run organization that sponsors weekly debates and discussions with occasional guest speakers each quarter.
“It’s unlike any other organization on campus because you get to really engage and talk with the speakers,” said Weinberg sophomore Ali Riegler, the Political Union’s vice president. “It’s not just a lecture where they talk at you.”
Founded in the spring of 2008 and open to all Northwestern undergraduates, the Political Union meets every Monday at 7:30 p.m. at the Buffett Center, 1902 Sheridan Rd. Past debate topics include the legalization of same-sex marriage and raising taxes to cut national debt.
“We want there to be a place where undergrads feel like they can meet interesting people who care about deep, important issues,” said Weinberg junior Nick Ruge, who served as co-president last year and now serves as a debate moderator. “This is a place we feel really fosters that amidst all the pre-professionalism that tends to be at Northwestern.”
Upcoming guest speakers include Northwestern alumnus and former Arizona Congressman Jim Kolbe, and Northwestern professors Barnor Hesse and Charles Mills, who will debate issues of race theory.
“It’s been very fruitful,” Ruge said. “I think that a lot of really fantastic scholars and public servants are excited about exactly this mission.”