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The United States has had diplomatic relations with Ethiopia for many decades and despite alleged Ethiopian human rights violations claimed by organizations such as Human Rights Watch, "bilateral" diplomacy continues to be a part of official U.S. foreign policy toward Ethiopia. The context of this 100 year old diplomacy is debated by some Ethiopians who argue little political partnership actually exists outside the official US position.

The question of whether such diplomacy should continue appears to be less a matter of how deep rooted the alliance is, but rather a matter of international political strategy. To shed light on the reasoning behind the continuation of the American-Ethiopian alliance, an analysis of the human rights violation claims, the politics of the region and a brief political cost/benefit analysis can be illustrative.

ETHIOPIAN HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS:

In a Pulitzer center on crisis reporting article by Nick Wadhams in July of 2007, it was reported Ethiopian forces resorted to actions that are frowned upon and objected to by defenders of human rights. Specifically, it is claimed the Ethiopian troops "burned villages, shot civilians and blocked food shipments to the Ogaden region."

While the Ethiopians were defending their country from rebel groups, their actions have spurred skepticism regarding one of the pillars behind U.S. alliances i.e. respect for human rights. The claim that human rights violations are in difference to U.S. interests is a legitimate one and thus we continue on as to the possible reasoning behind a continued alliance by the Governments of both Ethiopia and the United States.

THE NATURE OF THE ETHIOPIAN-U.S. ALLIANCE:

Ethiopian journalists such as Seyoum G. Hiwat, and others like him seem skeptical a solid alliance actually exists between Ethiopia and the United States. In particular, Hiwat points to a clouded political history in which Ethiopia lost its shore line to a U.N. sanctioned independence of Eritrea and Soviet influence within Ethiopia during the days gone by. Hiwat wrote the following to make his point:

"I can only repeat, and repeat with infinite regret, that our friendly attitude towards American cynical pragmatic foreign policy, which can never be supported by evidence is a pervasive denial of history or a toxic dose of ignorance or at best, an illusion. Poor Ethiopia never had, and still has no ally, even worse, we Ethiopians, continuously refused to admit this recurring theme in her bitter history. America had

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