Respect Overseas for U.S.

The fulminations of Patrick Buchanan (Column Right, Oct. 26) remind me of a fenced Rottweiler. The gospel according to Buchanan says that South Africa’s ambassador, in better times, would have been kicked out of the country for Nelson Mandela’s implying that some actions of the U.S. were “without morals.” St. Patrick would have us rise up in righteous wrath and strike down South Africa, along with Israel, France, Russia, Canada, Mexico and Japan--among others--for not doing what we want them to do.

Further, Buchanan suggests a solution--let the Europeans have NATO and say to hell with the rest of the world’s oil, since we have so much natural gas and coal. I wonder if Buchanan’s buddies will readily give up their Lexuses and Infinitis or stop drinking Moet et Chandon to help the cause, let alone converting the cars to coal-burning.

Of course, we could always resort to that panacea of conservatives (and business)--war. With someone with Buchanan’s sterling military record, he might even be named commander in chief.

DICK BRANDLON

Seal Beach

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I have rarely agreed with anything that Buchanan has said or written, but his column is an exception.

The arrogance of our supposed friends and allies in pursuing their own agendas, even while ignoring or flouting our own policies, is very disturbing to me. I am certainly not an isolationist, but there has come a time, in my opinion, when our own national needs should take priority over the needs of the rest of the world. If France and other European nations pour money and talent into Iran and Iraq, in their own best economic interests, our ability to have much influence is greatly inhibited. Likewise with Cuba and the other examples listed by Buchanan.

I believe that it is time for these foreign policy questions to be widely discussed, with input from both parties and more people. The U.S. must realize that not all of its policies are necessarily “correct,” or acceptable to other countries, but there should certainly be strength and determination behind those policies that we believe are justified.

JAY B. BELSKY

San Pedro

You were asking for scary stories for Halloween--why didn’t you wait a few days to run Buchanan’s column? Although he didn’t get the separatist slogan right, his suggestion that the U.S. send a diplomat to a sovereign country--in this case Canada--to openly encourage its breakup is truly frightening.

JANET AIRD

San Gabriel

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It is reprehensible for Buchanan to write that Mandela “has spent so much time in prison, he apparently needs the occasional company of criminals.” Mandela and others were in jail for resisting apartheid--criminals only in the view of apartheid South Africa. By suggesting that resistance to a racist system was criminal, Buchanan endorsed a racist perspective.

JONATHAN GRUDIN

Irvine