Questions by Karen Harutyunyan
A number of Armenian commentators and politicians claim that the United States would provide support to Armenia in the case of Azerbaijani military aggression. Some of them also idealize U.S. foreign policy, believing the United States would defend fellow democracies from encroachment by authoritarian regimes.
CivilNet Editor-in-Chief Karen Harutyunyan put those questions to ChatGPT, OpenAI’s powerful new chatbot. We present ChatGPT’s full answers below, edited only for clarity where necessary.
Q: Do notions of democracy and human rights play a role in U.S. foreign policy worldwide? Are these values inferior to Washington’s strategic and geopolitical interests?
A: The United States has often expressed a commitment to promoting democracy and human rights around the world as a core element of its foreign policy. These values are enshrined in many U.S. laws, policies, and international agreements, and are often cited by U.S. leaders as guiding principles of U.S. foreign policy.
However, the U.S. government’s actions in practice are often influenced by a range of factors, including strategic and geopolitical interests, economic considerations, and domestic politics. In some cases, the pursuit of these interests has led the United States to support authoritarian regimes or overlook human rights abuses committed by its allies.
There is often a tension between these values and U.S. strategic and geopolitical interests, and U.S. policy decisions are not always consistent with its stated commitments to democracy and human rights. For example, the U.S. government has been criticized for supporting authoritarian regimes in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia, despite their poor human rights records, and for its treatment of detainees in the War on Terror.
Ultimately, the balance between these values and U.S. strategic interests is a matter of ongoing debate and policy decisions will likely continue to be influenced by a range of factors. However, many Americans and people around the world continue to expect the U.S. government to uphold and promote democratic values and human rights as core elements of its foreign policy.
Q: Can democratic countries rely on U.S. assistance in the case of military aggression by non-democratic countries?
A: The United States has a history of providing military assistance to democratic countries facing military aggression from non-democratic countries. However, the decision to provide such assistance is typically influenced by a range of factors, including U.S. strategic interests, political considerations, and legal obligations.
Q: Will the United States support Armenia in the case of Azerbaijani aggression?
A: In the case of Armenia and Azerbaijan, the U.S. government has expressed concern over the recent conflict and called for a peaceful resolution through diplomatic means. The U.S. government has also provided humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict.
Whether the U.S. government would provide military assistance to Armenia in the event of Azerbaijani aggression is unclear and would depend on a range of factors. The U.S. government would likely consider the strategic implications of such a conflict, as well as any legal or diplomatic obligations it may have to Armenia.
It is worth noting that the U.S. government has a complex relationship with both Armenia and Azerbaijan, and U.S. policy decisions are often influenced by a range of factors beyond just democratic values. Ultimately, the U.S. government’s decision to provide military assistance in any given situation would be based on a range of factors and would be subject to political debate and public scrutiny.
Q: Will the United States impose or threaten to impose sanctions on Azerbaijan and/or its officials in the case of renewed military escalation against Armenia?
A: I am an AI language model and do not have access to classified information or real-time updates on the political situation in the Caucasus region. However, I can provide some general information on the use of sanctions as a foreign policy tool by the U.S. government.
The U.S. government has used economic sanctions as a foreign policy tool to respond to a range of issues, including human rights abuses, terrorism, and weapons proliferation. The use of sanctions is typically decided on a case-by-case basis, and is influenced by a range of factors, including the severity of the issue, the effectiveness of sanctions as a tool, and the potential impact on U.S. interests.
Whether the U.S. government would impose or threaten to impose sanctions on Azerbaijan and/or its officials in the event of military escalation against Armenia is unclear and would depend on a range of factors, including the severity of the conflict and any U.S. legal or diplomatic obligations to the region.
Ultimately, the decision to use sanctions as a foreign policy tool is subject to political debate and public scrutiny, and would be based on a range of factors and considerations.
Q: Has the United States ever supported the overthrow of democratically elected governments in other countries?
A: Yes, the United States has supported or carried out coup d’etats in other countries throughout its history, particularly during the Cold War era.
- Iran (1953) – The CIA, along with British intelligence, orchestrated a coup that overthrew Iran’s prime minister, Mohammad Mossadegh, who had nationalized the country’s oil industry.
- Guatemala (1954) – The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) supported a coup that overthrew the democratically elected president of Guatemala, Jacobo Arbenz, who had implemented land reforms that threatened the interests of U.S. companies operating in the country.
- Congo (1960) – The U.S. government supported the overthrow of Congo’s first democratically elected prime minister, Patrice Lumumba, who was seen as too left-leaning and too sympathetic to the Soviet Union.
- Chile (1973): In 1973, the U.S. government supported a military coup to overthrow Chile’s democratically elected president, Salvador Allende. The coup was led by General Augusto Pinochet, and it led to years of human rights abuses and political repression in Chile.
- Haiti (1991) – The U.S. government supported the ousting of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who was seen as a threat to U.S. interests in the region.
- Honduras (2009): In 2009, the U.S. government supported the ouster of Honduras’ democratically elected president, Manuel Zelaya, who was deposed in a military coup. The U.S. government initially refused to label the event as a coup, and it continued to provide military aid to the Honduran government following the coup.
These are just a few examples, but there are many others. The U.S. government has been criticized for its involvement in supporting coups and undermining democratic governments in other countries, and these actions have had lasting consequences for those countries and for U.S. foreign policy.
Q: Does the United States have totalitarian allies?
A: The United States has had alliances and relationships with a range of governments throughout its history, including some that have been authoritarian or totalitarian in nature. During the Cold War, the U.S. government often supported authoritarian governments in the name of containing the spread of communism.
Examples of U.S. alliances with totalitarian governments include Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Egypt, South Korea, and Chile.
- Saudi Arabia: The United States has had a long-standing alliance with Saudi Arabia, despite the country’s authoritarian government and human rights abuses.
- Pakistan: The United States has also had a complex relationship with Pakistan, which has been governed by military dictatorships for much of its history.
- Egypt: The U.S. government has supported the authoritarian government of Egypt, both under former President Hosni Mubarak and under current President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
- South Korea: During the Cold War, the United States supported the authoritarian government of South Korea, which was accused of human rights abuses and suppression of political dissent.
- Chile: The U.S. government supported the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet in Chile during the 1970s and 1980s.
It is worth noting, however, that the United States has also supported democratic governments and human rights activists around the world. U.S. foreign policy is often influenced by a range of factors, including strategic and economic interests, as well as ideological considerations.
