What has America done to deserve murder?

I am starting to hear something somewhat disturbing about the Sept. 11 attack on the United States. I hear people in the press saying it. I hear it from foreign spokesmen and organizations. And now I hear students and professors agreeing. What they are all saying is that American foreign policy is responsible for this attack. This is not the first time I have heard it. I heard it when I was living and traveling in the Middle East this past year. But now I hear it in America. Well, I absolutely reject that belief. And before you start down that road, let me give you an alternative argument and the facts to accompany it.

In today's world of sound-bite journalism and quick, dumbed-down answers, this is an easy solution to a problem that doesn't have an easy solution. Sure, jump on the bandwagon. Blame America for all the bad things that happen to her. We are big, powerful and an easy target. Why not blame us? Who else can you blame?

Well, simply put, the United States did not plant the bombs that have killed close to 9,000 Americans in the last decade. Someone else did. Nine thousand Americans were lost in terrorist bombings around the world in a decade. Still think this is our fault? There are some good critiques of American foreign policy. But when do we say enough is enough? When do we put the safety of our citizens above public opinion in other countries? Can we not say to the world that "these are our policies, they are based on good values and sound judgement," without fear of being killed? The answer is yes, we can, we will and we must. If we do not, then the hatred of a small minority dominates the rule of law for the vast majority.

Let us examine the American foreign policy that is so terrible that terrorists feel justified murdering people in the hundreds and thousands at a time. I think you will see it may not be the root of all evil.

1. First, let us examine our relations with Israel versus the Palestinians. This is the center of the criticism laid upon the backs of Americans dealing with the Middle East for at least 40 years. Guess what, from my perspective it is not always a fair policy to the Palestinians. I too want a Palestinian state. As an American, I always root for the underdog. It is part of our character. But frankly, the Israelis do a good job lobbying. The Palestinians do not. The Israelis make a tremendous effort to influence Congress in Washington. The Palestinians refuse to. Right or wrong, it is reality and that is our way of conducting business in our country.

2. Next, step away from the theater engulfed in this conflict and look elsewhere around the globe to get a different perspective. We have good and bad relations with every other region of the world, but they do not bomb us. Our relations with Central and South America have always been rocky at best, yet there have been no Nicaraguan bombing campaigns in the United States. Cuba doesn't blow up our warships. Peru doesn't bomb our embassies. Neither does anyone in Europe, Russia or China. We do have difficulties and conflicts with these countries, but the slaughter of our citizens is not part of their reaction to our policies.

3. Perhaps it is our policy of isolationism against Iraq that is so terrible. People around the world blame us for the thousands of deaths each year from malnutrition and disease brought on by UN sanctions. They blame our support of the sanctions. But they never question why those Iraqi people are dying of starvation when the government gets millions of dollars per year from the UN Oil for Food program. The truth is that Iraq does get enough money to feed its people and buy medicine for its hospitals. But it chooses to spend it on castles and weapons instead of the people. No matter what our policy is toward Iraq, we cannot change the fact that the Iraqi government cares nothing for its people and kills them indiscriminately. Our sanctions may be the only thing that keeps the Kurds from being gassed again or the Shiites from being massacred again. Ask a Kuwaiti about life under Iraqi rule.

4..But before condemning the United States for its absolute disregard for the Palestinians and other Arab nations, let us go over some other American foreign policies with regard to the Middle East. Remember that the United States is responsible for Camp David, Wye River and the Oslo Accords. President Clinton worked harder than any world leader since perhaps President Carter to bring settlement to the Arab world. Remember too that President George H.W. Bush sent nearly a million American soldiers into harm's way to liberate Kuwait. How about the billions of dollars and thousands of Americans who devoted years of work to help the Kurds in Turkey? Egypt's economic stability of the 1990s is mainly due to the huge amount of debt we forgave in 1991. And as President George W. Bush pointed out, we are Afghanistan's largest aid donor.

These too represent American foreign policy. But those who would tell you that we are to blame for Sept. 11 conveniently forget these American initiatives. Instead, be proud of America's efforts all over the world. Jameson R. Johnson is a first-year graduate student in Near Eastern Studies from Helena, Montana. He can be reached at jamesonj@princeton.edu.