Letter to the Editor
U.S. foreign policy is realist, not religious
To the editor:
I passionately agree with Ames Grawert’s assessment of religion’s place in society (“Old-time religion steers United States toward old-world mistakes,” Aug. 19). There is no place in a democratic government for the dogmatic stances of religion.
However, I do not agree with the implication that some sort of American religious persecution instigated the July bombings in London. When the Soviets looked to Afghanistan during the Cold War, Muslims were our allies. There was no religious basis to America’s decision to make this alliance — it was simply a means to an end. Blame this war on oil, on intervention in the democracies of the Middle East, on anything else, but not on religion. I say that America goes to battle for much more pragmatic purposes than theology.
Ian Ragsdale
Hanszen junior
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