http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/site/index/ en U.S. Department of State 2008-05-16T21:36:00-05:00
It's nice we have someone to explain to foreigners why U.S. officials want certain measures and policies, but does anyone at the State Department ever listen to foreigners who reject our measures and policies, or is all communication only in one direction, from us to the masses?

How would Americans react to our government allowing foreign military bases in America in order to protect the U.S. government from overthrow by its citizens?

How would we react to British missile sites placed in Mexico and Canada, purportedly to protect Britain from Argentina?

How would we react upon debarking from a flight from Washington to Paris, to be told by French Customs officers that all Americans must undergo a strip search and fingerprinting in order to enter the country?

What would we think if Hungarian Customs officers seized all of our money because their dog barked at our purse?

One aspect of foreign policy that seems to be wrong is the inability of U.S. officials to visualize the situation if things were reversed and it was we who reject such policies and measures.

While U.S. military bases in foreign countries may be welcomed by oppressive governments to keep them in power, the citizens of those countries feel invaded and occupied, just as we would if the roles were reversed, yet there seems to be no U.S. effort to remove those bases.

Surrounding Russia with NATO members and missile bases does not reduce their level of paranoia that America plans to steal their oil.

The problem with empires, particularly ours, has always been that they act like empires, dictating instead of negotiating; demanding instead of requesting. Do we ever question how would we react if the situation was reversed?

Governments will always find pretextual reasons to oppress and control. Exercising power is the logical extension of possessing power. It is the restraint of power that America is all about - the limitation of federal power is what makes American different -- until recently.

So, when a foreign citizen says, "This is what is wrong with American foreign policy so why won't you change it," what is your answer?]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/public_diplomacy_in_budapest/ Wed Mar 26, 2008