The Cold War is over, but a global war of values and ideals rages on, a former U.S. ambassador to two Middle Eastern countries said Tuesday.
"The basic mind-set was, we won the Cold War, we won the ideological struggle — the world is going to be different," Edward Djerejian said in a lecture at the University of Utah's Middle East Center. "We were dead wrong."
Foreign policy is more important than ever, he said, adding that the United States must educate the Arab and Muslim world about its values now if it hopes to stem growing anti-American hostility.
"What happens out there, 9/11 has shown it dramatically affects us here," Djerejian said. "We're dealing with some very angry people, and they come from this part of the world. This is a war of ideas, and Americans should take it very seriously."
President Bush is taking positive steps in improving foreign policy in the Middle East, he said.
He recently appointed Karen Hughes as undersecretary of state for public diplomacy and Dina Powell, an Egyptian-born former White House aide, to serve as Hughes' top assistant.
The pair will push the president's policy on spreading democracy in the Middle East and work to polish America's image in those countries.
It's a tough job, but it can be done, Djerejian said.
Muslims strongly identify with American values, and even embrace them, he said. An Iranian woman once told Djerejian, "Who could be against life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?" he said.
"There is a great admiration for what we've achieved as a country," Djerejian said. "Where the problem comes . . . is very, very strong opposition to certain American policies," like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the war in Iraq.
The prevailing view in the Arab and Muslim world is that the United States is biased toward the Israelis in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Djerejian said. And while some view the United States as liberators in Iraq, Arabs and Muslims think Americans are occupiers, he said.
America must take a leading role in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he said. The outcome of the ongoing battle will significantly shape the Arab and Muslim world's view of the United States.
One of the first steps in changing the Arab and Muslim world's view of the United States is to allow more students from the Middle East to come and study at one of America's many universities, he said.
"If we are going to change the hearts and minds of the people, the best way is for them to come here and see who we are," Djerejian said.
Djerejian chaired a national committee appointed by former Secretary of State Collin Powell that examined U.S. public diplomacy in Arab and Muslim countries. In 1993, he served as U.S. Ambassador to Israel, and from 1988-1991 he served as U.S. Ambassador to Syria. Djerejian is the founding director of the James Baker III Institute for Public Policy at Rice University.
E-mail: ldethman@desnews.com