Walter G. Moss proposes that “[a]ny effective U.S. foreign policy must not just vilify leaders, whether Saddam Hussein or Putin, but recognize and try to understand why so many foreign citizens think differently than we do.” I half agree with him. We too often fail to take into account the views of other peoples in formulating our foreign policy. If our foreign policy is to be effective we must understand how others view the world and their place in it. However, I disagree with Moss’s contention that we should not “demonize” the leaders that they admire. Well, maybe we shouldn’t demonize them, but we should call them out for their outrageous behavior.

I would still recommend reading Moss’s article. He makes some good points concerning the history of our foreign policy. History News Network | We Need to Come to Terms with the Russian People’s Support Today of both Stalin and Putin.