Samantha Power: Shaking hands with the devil

www.ted.com Samantha Power tells a story of a complicated hero, Sergio Vieira de Mello. This UN diplomat walked a thin moral line, negotiating with the world's worst dictators to help their people survive crisis. It's a compelling story told with a fiery passion.

[@zendean5207]

The US sided with the agressors in Rwanda, and that is why the US did nothing in the Rwanda situation.

[@marvelrog3436]

I suggest you take the to find out who Sergio Vieira Mello was before you judge her. All of you who decry her are missing the point. How sad!

[@taylorthomas634]

Isn't she in jail?

[@chanieweiss4288]

This short video should be used in schools to give students some perspective on both world events, and compassion.

[@tjm937]

Dr. Michael Parenti might add that Ms. Power's serves imperialism well because she "says what she likes because they like what she says." US foreign policy is not a reaction to "evil doers" when you look beyond the apologist - it is an intelligent form of wealth accumulation disguised as peace keeping.

[@angleinad8908]

Why so many negative comments here? Listen to her as a journalist and an activist. She is giving facts on politics issues, and how people can help.

[@davidsmith3rd]

+Angleina D You only have to look at what the US has done in the Middle East in the last 20 years and her "justifications" for it in the UN to answer the negative comments. Iraq, Libya and Syria were the most secular and wealthy countries in the Middle East before US brought "freedom and democracy" to these countries, including recruiting, training and supplying arms to terrorist organisations. Perhaps these are worthy of negative comments and if not then the Devil, masquerading as Madeline Albright and US Secretary of State, saying on TV that the US considered the death of 500,000 Iraqi children was a price worth paying. Samantha Powers is the public mouthpiece in the UN for this system !!

[@howard5992]

+Angleina D 1) She is associated with the Obama administration. 2) She is pro-Israel 3) She is not pro-Israel enough 4) She is associated with the UN 5) She is a woman 6) She is bright articulate and attractive 7) She hasn't been able to solve the inequities and evils of the world 8) She was critical of America 9) She hasn't been critical enough of America etc, etc, etc

[@angleinad8908]

+Howard That about sums it up. lol. Thanks Howard.

[@udunnomehh2218]

You could've been more constructive, sir. Boo.

[@LP-MeAndMyShadow]

Why? because the Russians are working very hard at their job.

[@ack6668]

Just like the prophecy. The devil will call the others evil. Look at her early life and where she came from.

[@slobodanhorvaarten9246]

Samantha Power has done a horrible job. She deserves to be fired for the disaster in Libya.

[@trollbaron1329]

Benghazi?

[@Debunker246]

trump and the republicans are the evil. grow up.

[@beebobox]

what an absolutely outstanding talk.

[@phishiphishi]

looks like prison for Samantha ...

[@viktorschubernel258]

Bilder Avatar 🤣🤣

[@tonylee1973]

Fellow Americans we did not get into WW2 on the basis that Jews in Europe were being persecuted. That had sadly being going on for quite a few years before Hitler. It is very unfortunate that a minority is persecuted, but we should not go to war because other societies engage in wrong behavior. Instead we should try and better our own society and be an example. Kucinich/Paul in 2012

[@zeleshetu5556]

Samantha is a real spy agent

[@lucascunhalima]

10:42 to go to Sergio Vieira's incredible history.

[@NickMartin420]

ty

[@massivereader]

Very impressive speaker, unusual to listen to someone speak who isn't afraid to tackle complex issues and difficult questions, and doesn't feel the need to "dumb down" their discourse to the level of the lowest common denominator. I could listen to her for hours. I expect we'll hear a lot more from this lady in the days to come.

[@ZodyZody]

Thank you for sharing this information about Sergio.

[@Lukas8363]

I never listen to Americans talking about human rights and doing "good" things to humans and for what is right for the world.

[@LattiMonstaaa]

I wonder what this comment makes you. You do realize she was a human rights professor at the world's best university and for years lobbied for US governments to do something about human rights abuse right? No, of course you dont.

[@Lukas8363]

that is a facade. Many of these representants of state have good credentials, but if you dig a little omg.

[@LattiMonstaaa]

Lucas Tosti lol. k.

[@InQuIzY8]

Have you heard of her interventions at the UN councils ? She's a utterly rude and hypocrite woman. She's disgracing USA by representing it.

[@niteconenterprises5855]

Stay out of Ethiopia’s business! If you were a humanitarian, you would help and not destroy Syria, Libya and the rest. Keep the facade. It’s will notcwork

[@erikmorgan8800]

Absolutely amazing speech.. It's comforting knowing there are brilliant minds like hers out there working tirelessly to bring us all the real truth, behind this sometimes very convoluted life we all live..

[@irmabroodryk7218]

Impressive speaker. She really understands what Sergio was all about.

[@gritdog]

Your a bigger idipt than her !

[@bangobongo12]

Romeo Dallaire is a true Canadian Hero, who was appointed to this mission, while the United States ignored this genocide. For shame on them

[@dpginthehouse]

may be this is how others feel when they shake hands with american officials ?

[@EnnDeeKay]

An amazing command of her subject, and an incredible eloquent and articulate delivery with excellent principles to take on board and apply where appropriate.

[@MrMarshall7491]

Enn DeeKay are you serious? Sounding good and being eloquent doesn’t make her right.

[@akwinata1]

Word of God, Son of God. Who is Jesus? He is The only Word of The Father. This catholic truth about Jesus is so full of substance, it is breath taking. Father knows himself in his Word. Now human words. To communicate truth is their purpose. Samantha is doing it much better than main media. I like you, Samantha. Every one truth, wherever found is catholic truth. Shame on liberal media, they shaking hands with the devil. Jesus is talking a lot about devils in his Gospel, listen to Jesus.

[@stevenaudet]

It's really sad...but you have a point. Rwanda was overpopulated and natural resources were down, plus there was a cultural and ethnic division made by the former colonizer: Belgium.

[@johnweir1217]

Rwandan Genocide - Look here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYPbhqqaibKSeaM Make up your own mind.

[@terbernt]

she actually seems sincere, so i listen.

[@WePlayTheFox]

Wonderful talk with a disappointing comments section.

[@tomada36]

Calling college students to get a "genocide grade"...seems quite scientific, given that college students are apt to speak objectively without infusing their own political, racial, or religious biases.

[@mysticsicness]

Should be titled, "Shaking hands with Samantha Power."

[@EuropeanQoheleth]

Bit harsh.

[@sergeivonshelia1375]

SHE IS REAL MONSTER AND LIAR...

[@ms9771]

She is devil hand and she is killing people like crocodile and show tears,

[@DavidBall67]

I know people that have suffered that in Iraq. The difference is that the US has left a future that Saddam never did. I know relatives of those who died in Saddam's armies, whose sisters, mothers or daughters were raped by Saddam's people. Starvation and denial were part of Saddam's regime. Thanks to Bush, Iraq has a future.

[@ujjwalkumar5286]

what an amazing speech. So inspiring. Well rehearsed. I came here after her reaction video to 'the diplomat'. Googled a bit about her, found out that this speech was a year after she launched a book about sergio. whilst this could be just be a promotional video about her book, it is equally interesting to hear her speak about Sergio.

[@kenw.simpson1007]

Her words explode like vomit.

[@stevesmith9227]

Last line: "Will evil prevail? No, not unless we let it". How is this new information? She's simply repeating what others have said. She speaks of de Millio as if he's the first in human history to do what he did.

[@DavidBall67]

Don't believe the smears. Palin is capable and deserving of the position. She might make a great President one day. You have to embrace change .. a woman can be President.

[@user-cu3lp6wc4v]

地球規模のテーマにそれぞれの神、正義、信義、誰でも身体は１つなのです。　 　惜しい方々が国際機関から居なくなり残念。

[@treestv9805]

War Hawk!

[@CBGB42]

No. It's based off of niches. A niche can only hold so many of one kind of organism. Once it reaches that number, it can't rise. However, as humans, we can change our environment, thus changing our niche. Killing each other isn't population control. It's just barbaric.

[@taradeleeuw2344]

34 years is a great start

[@craigrobertson8364]

her history is currently catching up with her

[@deadswans2000]

My comment was in reference to this paragraph from a previous comment. "Why do we care about the people who allow their country to be ruled by a dictator? These are people who allow their own brothers and sisters, children, family and friends to be ruled by a dictator"

[@trottheblackdog]

Who she is is important. We have to judge the moral character of those who represent us.

[@Debunker246]

she is fine..McConnel?

[@tonylee1973]

@omegavalerius the deceptive reasons given by the neocons is important. it came after 9/11 and americans were told Iraq was working with al quida. the US no longer has the troops to intervene in places lik Darfur. nor the economic power. and the population wants these interventions to stop.

[@alexandrep4913]

So was she shaking hands with herself?

[@cyberslick18]

@BlueReishiMan I dont think you understand what genocide is if you think the Iraq war is a genocide.

[@TheWolfgangfritz]

Brilliant woman! See her other interviews and read her book - "Chasing the Flame: Sergio Vieira De Mello and the Fight to Save the World" before making such ignorant comments.

[@annadlondon]

I won't waste my time on any book by this dreadful person.

[@ms9771]

She steal ,use , good name to attach herself to those great people like Judas call himself Friend of Jesus but at the same time same person take money to show where it was hidden place of Jesus to the Jews Authority to capture and to be crucify,

[@Reason1717]

A well spoken woman with a caring agenda, makes her just fine in my book.

[@marthamendoza8731]

Reason1717 YOU MUST BE DEMOCRAT. OBAMA? THE MAN THAT DESTROYED THE COUNTRY. HIRED THIS EVIL WOMAN

[@thebutcherofbenghazi.libya3348]

new FELONY charges against S Power for spying without legit reasons on U.S.citizens being explored by the Durham Commission. You musta been asleep last week.

[@Conkuur]

That moment you realize just because a person is educated doesn't make them smart. This is one.

[@occidentalist]

What a brillant and moving speech.

[@Simon-pl2zi]

Dear Samantha, most of the genocide and atrocities you speak of were created by the US military and you played your part as a willing participant during that decade.

[@OrionsChild]

@rollingstone99 I think (s)he's referring to 2:08-2:27.

[@guitarzilla]

Unfortunately the conundrum of consumerism is very difficult to escape. The developing countries are dependent on our exorbitant consumerism, at least those who want to pay of loans for the world bank and they suffer when our economy goes into recession. The irony behind this is that war is a tremendous economic expense. There is no irony that the survival of the mechanisms that put consumerism into place must ultimately consume resources, at an advantage to those who endorse this enterprise.

[@joedoody377]

she has a very appropriate last name

[@samcopeland3155]

imperialist warhawk in sheep’s clothing

[@taradeleeuw2344]

I can see clearly now

[@aleceth]

"Samantha Power: Shaking Hands with the Devil" sounds like a comic book title.

[@taradeleeuw2344]

Sure

[@taradeleeuw2344]

I know how Sergio felt ,exactly

[@rammay2285]

[@sc-to4uf]

Samantha Powers has gone into a dark place in which knowledge and sunlight cannot penetrate.

[@ms9771]

She is darkness

[@Decentralized_Maze]

You described me (a Sergio). I'm dumbfounded actually.

[@godprobablyexists7461]

Do you think what has been happening in modern times is bad? The whole world is better off than ever and the sooner we stop wasting our money on this, the sooner we can get to a point where people are prosperous and educated enough to not start this shit.

[@davidsmith3rd]

Rwanada wasn't important because it didn't have oil.

[@johnweir1217]

Rwandan Genocide - Look here - kzbin.info/www/bejne/mYPbhqqaibKSeaM Make up your own mind.

[@UberTankred]

She shook her own hand?

[@thebutcherofbenghazi.libya3348]

new FELONY charges against S Power being explored by the Durham Commission.

[@Helios601]

Loathsome person

[@taradeleeuw2344]

Sounds so tragic

[@tonylee1973]

Europe barbaric wars is amazing. Thats why Americans tried to stay out of WW1 and WW2. Vietnam and the cold war. There was a fierce ideology that was a threat to democracy. Stalin, Mao, Cousco put in place horrible regimes. And they wanted to export that ideology. Somebody had to say NO!

[@taradeleeuw2344]

What a good story Samantha

[@Setzer]

Perhaps when we learned about the Holocaust and decided "never again" people actually meant "never again do I want to think about genocide" Sigh...we need to get our priorities straight

[@lnanji]

Is it me, or does this lady have some serious sex appeal. She is intellectual and is incredibly beautiful.

[@Malakams]

Hmm, one thing that she and most of the people have to understand, there is no evil as such. The bad things some people do to us, is not because they are evil, or because they want to be evil, but because they are uneducated, or they share different morals than we do. The best thing we can do is to help build schools, improve the culture understanding and communicate .. we can't fight evil, because it doesn't exist and we must focus on something we can identify first.

[@armyveteran101st]

Are you saying that only the United States has the capacity to be "evil"? What world have you been living in? Putting the past 8 years aside, the United States has historically gone far out of its way to help and protect other peoples, providing a lot of its own blood and treasure in the process. That is historical fact, and for you to try to imply otherwise is foolish. The rich and powerful countries do a LOT towards improving our world, and that more than compensates for everything else...

[@Unsubscribedd]

Oh damn... and I thought this was going to be one of those far out woo TED talks where they will talk about meeting the devil.

[@kargs5krun]

Sssssh, listen closely. This she-man has shaken hands with many devils and "knows" what she's talking about (lol) 😂😂😂

[@humanonearth1]

lot of jealous anti USA on this comment thread

[@Mikathedog100]

I don't exactly get this re occurring "anti left" thing..what EXACTLY is the problem with it? And please no one answer with "bleeding hearts" etc. Just facts - whats your issue with the left, not as a political party, but as a philosophy, way of life, thinking etc?

[@taradeleeuw2344]

Even doing that for 20 plus years

[@fionatanzer5270]

in retrospect, it's really interesting to see how many Russian trolls were already commenting 3 years ago (below) and trying to smear America in every which way that they can. Yes, America is not perfect by any means, but don't smear the good people who are trying their best within the constraints of their roles to advance goodness.

[@animalmother4]

Power recommended that United States officials should apologize to the world for its past failures in order to enhance credibility with foreign countries. “A country has to look back before it can move forward,” Power wrote. “Instituting a doctrine of the mea culpa would enhance our credibility by showing that American decision-makers do not endorse the sins of their predecessors.

[@56jmoney]

I both agree & disagree. Education can lead to greater opportunity. However, it is opportunity & violence which are inversely related. If everyone had equal opportunity, regardless of educational background, there would be less violence.

[@sanchoquixote5518]

There is only one solution possible to genocide, at least if we are talking about intervening while it is going on, not meting out punishment afterwards to pretend that we are standing up for justice. Give up on U.N. peacekeeping- at least as it's operating now. The force that is sent into areas where genocide is occurring must be authorized to attack and kill people who are committing genocide. They must take a side and try to destroy the other side. Yes, it is possible to make genocide less likely to occur in the future by peaceful strategies, but once it has begun, talking will only make things worse- it is just our habit of deceiving ourselves about our own moral righteousness. In fact, it is moral abdication, plain and simple. Any force that is sent to stop genocide must be composed of well-trained soldiers who have specifically volunteered for the purpose. They must be disciplined enough to not give in to blood lust, and experienced enough to know when to kill people and when not to. They must come from the most capable ranks of any country's military. I don't envision many of them coming from special forces units, like the Army Rangers, etc, because those are probably too valuable to their home nation to sacrifice for mere humanitarian purposes, but any capable volunteer should be accepted. I envision them under a different command than the U.N. Otherwise, they would never be deployed, and be simply useless. No nation will ever send its soldiers into harm's way for the purpose of protecting a foreign people. There never has been, and there never will be. The mission in Somalia to kill a militia leader that was popularized as Black Hawk Down had as it's true purpose the maintenance of the U.S. model of political stability in Africa. It was the same way with the Kosovo/ Serbia intervention- the motivations were geopolitical, not humanitarian. These may have been advertised as humanitarian missions, but they most certainly were not. That was why the American soldiers were sent to kill. Get real people. Bill Clinton may have said that he regrets not doing anything about Rwanda, but he would never have actually put Americans at risk to save any number of people that Americans don't know. I suspects that he knows this, but feels that it is the most he can do to lie and say he would do things differently if he had it to do over again. I say this as someone who twice voted for him. Until we are ready to face the fact that in order to prevent genocide we have to be willing to kill the people who are perpetrating it, we might as well not even bother saying "never again." That's just self-serving fantasy. It fills the emotional needs of the safe and privileged, but it will NEVER get anything done. All the hand-wringing and rallying and marching over here will never save a single life in Syria or Darfur. Those are the cold hard facts.

[@mainenwo]

this woman is brillant

[@tonylee1973]

thats not true. in 1991 The UK, Italy, and France were major participants in the war against Iraq. Remember? The initial part of the war against Iraq was paid for largley by Germany. Europeans are completeley dependent on oil from the middle east.(which the US is not) Please think a little deeper Chrissepisje. And judging by the Balkins in the 1990s you have not changed your ways.

[@omegavalerius]

The EU still is the largest single market in the world, uses over twice of what China uses on defense (or roughly half of what the States use), is the largest exporter of goods in the world. The reason you want to now ask why the EU doesn't intervene (even with talks of a rapid deployment army for the EU) is that 27 states usually never have the same opinion about something and because politicians are afraid of the large anti war crowd in their electorate.

[@omegavalerius]

So you concede that you were wrong in your assumption that Europe doesn't have the military power to intervene was in fact wrong?

[@gummiebearovalle]

This lady has gotten on my last nerve!!!!!!

[@Lillymill]

10:12 "...Bue it is essential for us to be a leader in this sphere... of course to restore our standing and our leadership in the world." Enough said. Thank you very much and good bye! The last time someone was so obsessed with leadership, they worshiped Fuhrer.

[@cancelfederalreservedebt8576]

Is she for dismantling Israel Like Many are?

[@omegavalerius]

You already conceded that I was correct in my arguments. Why you try to argue something else now is beyond me.

[@user-gn1ef8qd2i]

Thanks for ur work in Libya

[@Hirnlego999]

Where have you been the last 8 years?

[@gulllars]

@akwinata1 WHY? Saying the things she says in the name of a religion or deity will only subtract from it's value, and make others who don't share that faith more reluctant to listen or make up their minds before even hearing. I also do not like the wording of the title here, and her extensive use of the word evil. This is scemantics, so most people out there will ask why i bother, but talking in those terms create stigma, which is never good for solving a problem. We must use better wording.

[@gmurday]

war criminal,...

[@otisbeau1222]

Prison bound

[@omegavalerius]

The fact that the Americans had to be lied to in order to do what I think should have been done a long time ago given the weight of previous mistakes committed by the U.S in the region, is not a compliment to the people or the State. We Europeans on the other hand are even harder to persuade to start an intervention so I guess I shouldn't complain. The bigger problem than lying I think was the incompetent way in which the post war Iraq was and is being managed.

[@karentiner4123]

We listened, talking about genocide, and another quote on another vid has her encouraging anialating Israel w/ invasion. I suppose invasion is ok if it fits a particular agenda. Peace is peace. ALL these people want to invade somewhere, Do your research on ALL these peoples heroes.

[@tonylee1973]

she is not american. she was born in ireland.

[@taradeleeuw2344]

Deep truths are good

[@taradeleeuw2344]

Like the war on drugs

[@taradeleeuw2344]

Creditably is a groomed demise

[@mikedubya4427]

So I built a volcano shelter for nothing? Damn you, History Channel!

[@aujax1]

shes not standing up to the devil now. silent on genocide in gaza

[@pro7o7ype87]

Sure thing buddy. A million Iraqis are dead and you're talking about prop 8.

[@tonylee1973]

there is something called service nation that wants to conscript americans to fight stupid wars like iraq. american want to do their thing and let the rest of the world get along the best it can.(as John Quincy Adams and Thomas Jefferson called for)