I am writing to counter the editorial notebook "Why They Hate Us." There is a strange disconnect between the facts and its conclusions. I would expect that most people do not hate Americans, because they can tell the difference between our foreign policy, with which they have legitimate grievances, and the people of this country. The world is not "multipolar." Thus the government can act unilaterally in the arrogant, crusading way portrayed in the idea that it can act as judiciary and executive of the world "according to American standards" and that is acts only "to uphold its democratic goals overseas." When this editorial notebook was printed, the DTH also quoted V.I. Lenin and his statement applies to the U.S.A.'s foreign policy. Not only is the idea of our country as the world's policeman a threat to national sovereignty, it is also almost always a ploy to cover the economic motives. The fighting in Afghanistan has cleared the way for a pipeline from inner Asia to the sea that will not susceptible to Russian influence. A former defense minister of Pakistan has claimed American officials spoke to him about a planned attack on Afghanistan last summer, after oil company negotiations with the Taliban failed because they wanted a larger share. If the U.S.A. ever supports a modicum of democracy, it is because it can be made to support U.S. Interests, as exemplifeid by Kostunica and Karzai. Our allies in the Middle East are autocratics, theocratic monarchies with uncertain popular support. The USSR aided many nations, but I cannot think of one Islamic theocracy to which it was allied. If more theocracy is the popular will it is anti-democratic to say we know better. It also enchances its appeal in nationa that know no other effective weapon to defend their sovereignty.
Michael Pollack
Sophomore
Undecided
