Summary

Peter Ronayne's Never Again? provides the reader with a provocative and comprehensive first look at American foreign policy as it relates to the prevention and punishment of genocide since the Holocaust. In the aftermath of World War II the United States and the world pledged to "never again" allow genocidal atrocities. Never Again? reveals that too often this bold promise has been a failed promise. The book chronicles how the United States has repeatedly missed opportunities or "ethical leadership moments" to stand up for human rights and save hundreds of thousands of lives when faced with genocide in Cambodia, Bosnia and Rwanda. At the same time, Ronayne explores how the U.S. has taken important action to bring about justice in the aftermath of genocidal crimes, despite its initial reluctance to even ratify the Genocide Convention. From this dual record of striking failures and important accomplishments emerge provocative questions about the United States' leadership on the world stage, global ethics and morality, and America's commitment to genocide prevention and punishment in the 21st century.