Madam, - Tom Carew's letter lauding the US (January 25th) is well-intentioned but naive. The impression left is that of the US as a kind of John Wayne roaming the world protecting the weak and righting wrongs. US foreign policy is guided by one rule only - that of self-interest.
Mr Carew needs to be reminded that only after the attack on Pearl Harbour did the US enter the second World War. American policy in the Cold War was largely one of containment, allowing the Communist world its sphere of influence. As for the ousting of Saddam, anyone who thinks the US invaded Iraq to restore democracy and freedom is seriously deluded. Mr Carew should consider the number of despotic thugs (including Saddam) the US has supported in the recent past - Marcos, Mobutu, Pinochet, to name but three.
Then maybe he should consider examples such as the US's genocidal bombing of Cambodia and its despicable record in supporting oppressive regimes in Central America. As for Camp David and Middle East peace, here the American record is equally awful because of its completely blatant support for Israel and its constant blindness in the face of Israeli oppression of Palestinians.
Mr Carew is right to point out that the US is the world's leader in technology. However, let it also be pointed out that here is a country in the 21st century where a significant proportion of its population (maybe 40 per cent) believe that the world is only 11,000 years old and where the White House is dominated by dangerous, right-wing fundamentalists. As well as being the most powerful country in the world the US has the highest poverty record in the Western world; it has an almost servile media; its public education system is a disaster; it has a prison population six times greater than that of the UK (per capita); and its record for executing people (including some who are certainly innocent) is an ongoing disgrace.
Finally, Mr Carew mentions American investment in Ireland and the number of jobs created as a result. Indeed. The reason the Americans feel happy investing here is partly because we have no independent foreign policy. Our present Government (and all past ones) has made us lackeys of Uncle Sam and none of the main political parties would ever do anything that would upset the status quo. Last week the US military attacked a village in the North-West Frontier province of Pakistan and killed 18 innocent villagers. There was nothing but silence from our political parties - testimony to our shameless and unquestioning siding with the Americans.
Positive feelings towards the US? Not now and probably not for a long time to come. - Yours, etc,
ANTHONY HARTNETT, Chestnut Grove, Bishopstown, Cork.