President Obama told Europe that the United States has been arrogant! You bet, after we bailed it out in a couple of World Wars and then gave it all the tools to reinvent itself without any strings.

You bet, after its own immigration laws fraught with poor design after years of colonial rule in Africa and the Middle East has caused it to have an imbalance of illegal and legal immigrants now insisting that their cultures, customs and laws be overturned to reflect their own.

We bailed Europe out financially time and again when it squandered most of its largess to socialism/giveaways/dole.

And they accuse us of imperialism when we attack the bad guys where they live, train and enjoy complete support while Europe hopes (repeat hopes) it all goes away.

Is that like letting sleeping dogs lie?

If we do adopt a conciliatory posture and bend over in the hope that it will all go away, do you think those who hate us -- radical Muslims, Putin, Chavez, Kim Il Song, Qaddafi, Hussein, Ahmadinejad, Moro, etc., will go back to peaceful coexistence!?

Arrogant? I think not. Angry, I believe, would be more appropriate.

Perhaps we should go protectionist and close our borders to any and all who show contempt for us and our very generous support.

I have no idea of the amounts of foreign aid we give to countries around the world, but the total is likely staggering.

Will the number of countries that look to us for leadership and support decline? Will they then look to tyrannical dictatorships for their support and help?

You bet!

Ronald Reagan said, among many things, peace through strength.

Rodney K. Ward

Pinehurst