A Broader Perspective for U.S. Foreign Policy

During the 1991 Gulf War, President Bush Sr. famously said, “What we say goes.” This hubris is echoed by Edward Bernard Glick (“So What If They Hate the U.S.?” Commentary, Jan. 31). In congratulatory remarks about the attractiveness of America to immigrants he ignores a basic and near-universal fact: the sharp, polar distinction between other peoples’ views of America as a land and a people and their reaction to the foreign policies of the American government.

My wife and I have done a good bit of unescorted travel in Muslim countries. We have, without exception, been warmly received in some putatively villainous lands (e.g., Iran, Syria) by people who, when they trusted us enough, were not hesitant to declare that while they admired the American people they despised American government policies.

Glick’s chutzpah regarding our right to our self-appointed role as world leader would be less embarrassing if we were not so off the wall about it. It is salutary to remind ourselves that Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden and, to some extent, even Saddam Hussein are our creatures. Perhaps we could use a little help in formulating our policies.

Norman Cadman

Claremont