New era, new policy

Re “Reopening the case for containment,” Current, Feb. 25

Ian Shapiro made many good points. Who gave the United States the legal or moral right to interfere in the internal affairs of any other sovereign country? Our foreign policy hawks just invented that right. At the same time, they don’t want any other country to meddle in the affairs of a third country. We must develop a new containment policy with regional alliances and stop invading other countries. Besides being wrong, it just doesn’t work.

WENDELL SHULTZ

Arroyo Grande, Calif.

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The U.S. is not the same country it was when George Kennan’s containment theory was implemented. At that time, our country was truly the leader of the world; we were self-sufficient, independent, wealthy and strong, and the price of oil was not a major economic consideration. Now we’re in a global economy, dependent on competitive offshore suppliers for a large portion of our goods and services, in staggering debt, with an economy shaken by foreign oil and gas prices, unmanageable medical costs for the average citizen and a tragic, unnecessary and costly war in Iraq.

In short, as far as the rest of the world is concerned, the U.S. is a vulnerable, wounded giant. Now we need to get out of the grasp and control of foreign energy suppliers if this country is going to start to recover strength and position. We need leadership that will get the country on the right track.

DON BARNETT

Banning