It's the policy, stupid.

• Author: Ryan, Barbara Haddad
• Position: Letters - Letter to the Editor

Nina Teicholz's "Privatizing Propaganda" (December) inadvertently, but accurately, illustrates the massive flaw in the Bush administration's efforts to win Arab and Muslim hearts and minds. She cites "a fundamental lack of concern about how the world views America," but then purports to show the bright side: the founding, with big-name support, of a non-government, nonprofit organization to produce TV programs for broadcast in the Middle East. Its goal, we're told, is "to show Arabs and Muslims how Americans live, breathe, and work in the U.S.--warts and all."

But Arabs and Muslims already know that. Thousands have gone to school here (before 9/11 at least), and millions are fans of U.S. movies and TV shows. Familiarity...