by Steven R. Corman

In a New Year’s Day op-ed in the Washington Times Daniel Davis echoes a theme sounded many times in this blog (most recently here): The U.S. has wrecked its image in the world, and this more than anything has caused our continuing poor performance in the “war of ideas:”

It seems we began to believe all the stories about how great we were while inversely showing less and less consideration, respect and appreciation for those beyond our borders.

He concludes that the solution must begin not with a change in strategy, but a change in attitude:

I could offer a number of specific policy and organizational recommendations for reform, but frankly none of that will matter unless there is first a fundamental change in the mind of Americans. If we do not accept that along with our many and substantial virtues we are also guilty of sometimes not insignificant pride, arrogance and hubris, no reform is even possible.

Amen.

Davis also quotes Lt. Gen. Peter Chiarelli and Col. Lee Fetterman on this subhect. Here is more evidence of a mystery I commented on in an earlier post: We have many smart people in leadership positions who recognize the problems, so what is it that keeps things from changing?