What Marco Rubio gets wrong about the West’s greatness | Fareed’s Take

0 October 19, 2026 23:30

In a well-written speech last week delivered against the magnificent backdrop of the Acropolis in Athens, Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged the West to rediscover what makes it exceptional. He described the qualities that define Western civilization as “the fire of passion, strength, courage, pride,” and he celebrated its ambition, nationalism and relentless pursuit of excellence. He warned that the West has become ashamed of the very things that made it great.

CNN’s Fareed Zakaria in his take, argues that Rubio is wrong about what makes the West exceptional. Also, Fareed talks to former Canadian deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland on President Trump’s decision to waive sanctions on Russia and and the resulting breakdown between Trump and Zelensky.

0:00 Marco Rubio’s speech on the west
1:46 The West’s traditions of morality and rights
3:37 Colonialism & the West’s capacity of self-criticism
6:16 Trump’s deal to allow Russia to sell diesel
9:12 What will this mean for Ukraine on the battlefield?

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