Meddling in Elections

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“The Long History of the U.S. Interfering with Elections Elsewhere”
From the Washington Post, October 13, 2016.
I selected this article because it talks about the history of America meddling with elections in other countries. The issue of elections has been discussed in class extensively, bearing in mind the narratives surrounding the 2016 presidential elections in the country. Though Russia has been accused of meddling in the elections in America, the U.S. has a history of meddling in the politics of other countries (Ishaan n.pag). Russia also claims the U.S. has continuously meddled in the political activities of countries on their border; especially Ukraine. In class, we discussed how electoral processes should be free and fair, but unfortunately, America has a well-documented history of interfering and interrupting working democracies.
This article talks about America’s hand in the ouster of the Prime Minister of Iran –Mohammed Mossadegh in 1953. America went ahead and replaced the Prime Minister with an authoritarian leader who they could manipulate as they wished. The U.S. also influenced the assassination and removal of Patrice Lumumba of Congo in 1961, and the toppling of Chilean President Salvador Allende in 1973 (Ishaan n.pag). For years, these actions were imperatives of the Cold War, which was a global struggle against the Soviets and its proxies. Diplomats like Henry Kissinger and John Foster called for aggressive tactics to curtail the expanding communists.

Most of the time, their agendas reflected that of the American government.
Washington sought to influence democratic processes across the globe, and so did Russia. To see this article talk about election meddling and its profound effects show that While America was interfering with established democracies, the world was watching. People wake up early to queue and vote for their preferred candidate knowing the process is credible. It is unfortunate America also caught up in a mess that they created themselves. This article proves that the U.S has for years meddled in the elections of other countries.
Work Cited
Ishaan Thatoor. “The Long History of the U.S. Interfering With Elections Elsewhere.” The Washington Post, 13 Oct. 2016, Www.Washingtonpost.Com/News/Worldviews/Wp/2016/10/13/The-Long-History-Of-The-U-S-Interfering-With-Elections-Elsewhere/?Noredirect=On&Utm_Term=.Edf3f8be8f1a.