Analysis & Opinions - Salon.com

America Needs Realists, not William Kristol

| January 18, 2008

If the New York Times wants true diversity on its Op-Ed pages, it should hire foreign policy realists, not ideologues.

"...a realist would be a valuable antidote to the self-righteous hubris that pervades contemporary U.S. commentary on foreign affairs, an attitude that has encouraged many of the policies that have undermined America's image around the globe. A realist would also cast a skeptical eye on virtually all of the current presidential candidates, whose views on foreign policy do not stray far from the current neoconservative/liberal consensus. Realists aren't infallible and some readers will undoubtedly object to their views, but that's hardly the issue. The point is that Americans would be better informed if they regularly heard what realists had to say, and media institutions that are genuinely interested in presenting a diverse array of views should be signing up a few of them."

For more information on this publication: Belfer Communications Office
For Academic Citation: Walt, Stephen M..“America Needs Realists, not William Kristol.” Salon.com, January 18, 2008.

The Author

Stephen Walt