Human Rights versus State SovereigntyIn the realm of international politics, many variables come into play in how things happen. Even small decisions made by very small countries can have far-reaching consequences. Even on superpowers. For example, Libya, a country of just over six million people, yet causes distress and problems here in the United States and around the world. This is why even small decisions and actions taken must be carefully considered because of the effects they may have on the rest of the world. Thus, for larger decisions like the question of state sovereignty in relation to human rights, careful consideration should be given to the decision being made due to the potential influence it may have on their own country and the rest of the world. In my opinion, human rights reign supreme over state sovereignty and I will describe this by showing that they are not only morally correct and positive, but also because they lead to better foreign policy, are supported by the UN and instill in people an increased sense of security within the state as well as in other states. State sovereignty is the power and authority of a state over a specific territory. In this territory they can pass any laws and regulations they see fit, because in this territory the government of that state holds all the power and no other country can tell them how to run their own country. Simply put, the sovereignty of a state is the ability of that state to govern itself without any external impact. Since state sovereignty is associated with doing what is in the best interest of its citizens, many view state sovereignty as a good thing. It ensures that people in countries have the opportunity to have their best interests...... middle of paper ......News. CNN Wire Staff, November 29, 2011. Web. December 11, 2011. .Hathaway, OA “Why do countries commit to human rights treaties? » Journal of Conflict Resolution 51.4 (2007): 588-621. Internet. December 11, 2011. Nickel, James, "Human Rights", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Fall 2010 edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = .Renteln, Alison Dundes. “The concept of human rights”. Anthropos 83.4 (1988): 348-51. Internet. 11 December 2011. Wotipka, C and Tsutsui, K 2008, “Global Human Rights and State Sovereignty: State Ratification of International Human Rights Treaties, 1965–2001”, Sociological Forum, 23, 4, pp. 724-754, Academic Search Premier, EBSCOhost, accessed December 11 2011.