Editor:

Canada, Mexico, Spain, Britain, France, Australia, Japan and South Korea. These countries are the United States’ best allies and friends, the countries closest to us in geography and history, and some of the strongest examples of the democratic spirit in the world.

These countries have something else in common, too: an overwhelming disdain for President Bush and his foreign policies.

In a recent poll conducted by leading newspapers worldwide, the majority of people in all eight of these countries expressed their dislike for President Bush, including an overwhelming 2-1 majority in Great Britain, our closest ally.

But let’s consider some of the consequences of President Bush’s politics of global estrangement. Across the world, governments sympathetic to the United States are being voted out of office.

Australia recently was a notable counterexample to this trend, but the extreme anti-Bush sentiment in Britain puts Tony Blair’s continued leadership on shaky ground.

The point is this: President Bush’s actions are not causing temporary international disagreements. They are provoking long term shifts towards Anti-Americanism in governments, policies and attitudes amongst our most important allies.

It is important to realize, however, that this sentiment is not yet entrenched.

A change in presidents and a change in unilateralist and confrontationalist policy could stem the growing disaffection among our allies and restore America to a place of honor in the world. This is the change that must be made this November.

Antoine Doinel

Alumnus