Anthony Lewis Quotes

What I want the Congress of the United States to do, and frankly what I would like to see the President of the United States of America do, is speak a word of support to the people of Iran.

I cite these events because I think they underline two very disturbing phenomena - the loss of U.S. international credibility, the growing U.S. international isolation.

If any good reason exists why we should persevere longer in withholding our recognition of the independence and sovereignty of Hayti [sic] and Liberia, I am unable to discern it.... I submit for your consideration the expediency of an appropriation for maintaining a chargé d'affaire near each of these new states.

Dollar Diplomacy

The Republics of Colombia, of Mexico, and of Central America have already deputed plenipotentiaries to … a meeting, and they have invited the United States to be also represented there by their ministers. The invitation has been accepted, and ministers on the part of the United States will be commissioned to attend at those deliberations, and to take part in them so far as may be compatible with that neutrality from which it is neither our intention nor the desire of the other American States that we should depart.

American diplomats meet with formal government officials, we meet with opposition protesters, not just in Hong Kong or China. This literally happens in every single country in which an American embassy is present.

I do think it's fair to say that there are times when President Obama has not been engaged enough with the Middle East.

I know that Israel does not stand alone. I know that America stands with Israel.

Anyone supported by the United States is cursed by us.

The American people are not naifs who yearn for isolationism, but they are starting to ask some hard questions about the way we have been doing business for 50 years, and it may well be time to grant the French, Canadians, Germans, Turks, South Koreans, and a host of others their wishes for independence from us: polite friendship - but no alliances, no bases, no money, no trade concessions, and no more begging for the privilege of protecting them.

My priority is to give the United States the kind of influence it should have.

American official policy is that Egypt is an ally of the United States.

Whatever one thinks of President George W. Bush and his unilateralist crew, most of the people laughing at us do not think we are evil. What they think is that we are naive and incompetent.

How have relations with Iran and Belarus benefited Venezuela? We are interested in countries that have democracies, that respect human rights, that we have an affinity with. What affinity do we have with Iran?

As has been pointed out with Libya, the debate over Libya, sometimes we allow diplomatic relations with imperfect regimes because progress can best be made through engagement instead of isolation.

There is no softer target in GOP primaries than the United Nations and foreign-aid spending.

Nixon was an awful president in many ways, including in some of his foreign-policy choices. But he left no doubt that foreign policy and America's leadership in the world outside its borders was of paramount importance to him.

There is a strong sentiment within the Tea Party that favors a stronger America on the global stage, and with that comes a strong alliance with the State of Israel.

Too often in Washington we tend to see foreign policy as an abstraction, with little understanding of what we are committing our country to: the complications and consequences of endeavors.

I think a policy of isolationism toward Cuba is misplaced and hasn't worked.

The U.S. engages with North Korea, so I don't see why they can't engage with Iran.

While all of these are important and significant events, it is the United States' foreign policy that furthers the advancement of freedoms and rights for women that is the most striking for me.

To be frank, I don't think President Obama gives much thought to Africa - or gives much to Africa.

So far as it depends on the course of this government, our relations of good will and friendship will be sedulously cultivated with all nations.

We must use all the tools of American power in resolving disputes, including diplomacy. And we must have sufficient congressional debate and oversight before ever putting another U.S. solider in harm's way.