Columnist Charles Krauthammer echoes a dangerous sentiment that is emerging among conservative hard-liners emboldened by our success in Afghanistan: that American might makes right and to hell with what the world thinks (“Al Qaeda prisoners of war don’t deserve POW status,” Commentary, Jan 28).
But even if one assumes that Krauthammer is uniquely gifted to determine the appropriate moral course for this nation, it seems to me that one of the lessons of Sept. 11 should have been the recognition that we must pick our battles carefully.
Krauthammer and fellow hawks dismiss European concerns over the treatment of Al Qaeda prisoners, condone brazen and clumsy attempts to spy on China, and embrace Israel in its handling of Palestinians. But in an age in which sufficiently motivated and twisted individuals can wreak tremendous carnage in even the most secure societies, can we really afford to continue to ignore how our actions are perceived abroad?
