Speaking for Other Students

On Monday a group of about 200 American students studying abroad issued an open letter claiming that President Bush's "arrogant" foreign policy is damaging U.S. interests overseas and making it increasingly difficult to defend their country.

The letter from "Win Back Respect" stated: "We witness daily how decisions that reinforce a perception of American arrogance are undermining rather than strengthening America's security goals and the safety of our citizens at home and abroad." To boot, "Our country was given an exceptional opportunity after September 11 to marshal the support of the world and strengthen international organisations, but instead the actions of the Bush administration have been divisive and polarising."

In response, a different group of students who see America's response to September 11 as a sign of international leadership and strength are issuing their own open letter. Stuart Jones, an American studying at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, led the effort to respond to the critical letter. It states, in part: "Unlike our colleagues we are proud to support America's principled action and efforts to spread freedom, equality and prosperity throughout the world. Ultimately, our foreign policy can not be driven by a desire to appease or pursue universal consensus at the expense of freedom and security. As history has repeatedly shown, "what is right may not be popular and what is popular may not be right."

It's good to see a healthy diversity of opinion abroad.