U.S. Foreign Policy

* Jonathan Clarke’s extensive analysis of American foreign policy (“In the New Order, Morality Can Be a Fickle Compass,” Commentary, Aug. 27) could be reduced to a single paragraph if he would refer to the diaries of Sir Evelyn Shuckburgh, one of his predecessors in the British Foreign Office. In his memoirs, “Descent to Suez,” Shuckburgh wrote, “The U.S., when her direct interests are concerned, has always cheerfully ignored the principle of self-determination.”

American foreign policy would be much more tolerable if it were based openly on greed and self-interest instead of wrapping every piece of rascality in a hypocritical cloak of morality.

P.V. HAIG

Los Angeles