Good neighbors should have good international relations

Dear Editor:

This is in response to the Guest Editorial by David Burton on October 7, 2026. I agree with the importance of engaged neighbors. And I would extend that idea to international relations. The nations that are engaged neighbors have populations that are better off than populations that live in antagonistic nations. After WW II the US was engaged in rebuilding Europe.

 

Because of the Marshall Plan, our nation earned respect and admiration from other nations, and most people of the US enjoyed a high quality of life. Now we have an administration that uses threats in negotiating with other nations, even with nations that share many of our values. And other than the oligarchs, Americans are being hurt by tariffs. Threatening Greenland may have increased our military presence there, but that certainly downgraded our good neighbor rating. I am sure you can think of other examples of nations that were enraged by the US's behavior rather than thinking of us as engaged.

 

I urge you to consider if the politicians you might support exhibit behaviors that engage others rather than enrage others.

 

James Vokac, 

Willow Springs, Mo.