We have a variety of national dilemmas from which to choose and the current administration has few, if any, solid solutions for them thus far. In the face of such a formidable collection of serious present and potentially long-term problems the administration, and the Congress as well, appear determined to concentrate much of the nation’s dwindling resources to spread our military organizations far and wide. Why? To punish not only those international factions and states that have already trespassed against us but also to punish those that may even be suspected of proving troublesome in the future.

Once upon a time there was a president who summed up for the nation what he believed to be a reasonable posture for it to take. He said, “Walk softly and carry a big stick.” The world is well aware that we have a big stick. However, we don’t appear to have learned the “walk softly” part too well. Arrogance and puffery win us no friends and do nothing to advance the art of diplomacy.

We need some honest-to-goodness diplomacy. A president standing at the lectern in the United Nations General Assembly telling the members that the United States will listen to what they have to say, but if it doesn’t fit with our plans we’ll take matters into our own hands, is a threat. Wasn’t that kind of talk by an English monarch the way the United States began? Let’s get some problems solved at home as a first step toward demonstrating to the rest of the world how they ought to conduct themselves to succeed.

Robert C. Dick

Castine