How can the U.S. restore its image and moral leadership in the world in general and the Middle East in particular?
A17. The image the U.S. conveys to the world in general as a bright land of opportunity is colored by the perception that all too often, U.S. policies are pursued from the viewpoint of achieving narrow U.S. national interests. Great powers in history have always so acted, but these countries and empires have never claimed to be a beacon of high morality and the exemplar of individual freedom and the rule of law. Thus, when the U.S. takes an action such as invading Iraq without the authority of the UN and of international law behind it, as in March 2003, the world interprets this is a hypocritical act. When Washington appears to condone Israeli attacks on Palestinian towns but condemns acts of terror against Israelis by suicide bombers, many see the U.S. not as a neutral party but as strongly biased in favor of Israeli interests. Over time, such perceptions build to the point that everything the U.S. claims is done to further peace and help improve the lives of people in other nations i
