Six Dartmouth students were among the thousands of victims of the September 11 terrorist attack on New York and Washington. We grieve for them and for the millions affected by the vicious assault launched against this nation. Terrorists stole our families, friends and mentors. On that fateful Tuesday, we started seeking justice and answers.
In the wake of the atrocity, we have listened to experts talk about "America's New War," we have flown flags from our houses, and we have united in a national and international condemnation of terrorist acts. As frustration and rage have added to our sadness and shock, we have asked for explanations -- and assurances that such actions will never again be perpetrated on our soil.
Even as we voice the emotions that must be expressed in the wake of the attack, America must also reassess its foreign policy, in particular how it relates to Muslim nations. Instead of turning to these nations exclusively in times of need, America should make a concerted effort to engage them continuously since they also share the American goal of ending terrorism. This does not mean that America should ally itself with every nation. It does mean, however, that it should be careful not to burn bridges. America should strive to engage other nations in dialogue, and, when appropriate, provide them with humanitarian and economic aid.
For the past two weeks, the Bush administration has continuously emphasized that any retaliatory campaign is not a war against Muslims, but a campaign against terrorism. The president and his close advisers have enlisted the support of Muslim governments, forging significant ties with these countries. The U.S. must continue to do so even after the first phase of this campaign against terrorism has reached its close.
This policy-making process has forced the Bush administration to rely heavily on many of the same nations that the U.S. had previously ostracized. It must negotiate with nations where large swaths of the population distrust the United States and feel alienated by its policies. Since the attack, U.S. leaders have pressured some of these governments with sanctions and baited them with rewards. The president and his cabinet have spent hours telephoning foreign leaders trying to forge agreements between nations that until two weeks ago had limited communication. Had there been more contact between these nations prior to the tragedy of September 11, the U.S. would have found ensuring their cooperation a much easier task.
The grief we feel at the loss of our friends and relatives is still sharp and painful. But it is crucial that we as a nation look both inward and outward as we devise each next move that will, as the President put it, "lift a dark threat of violence from our people and our future."
