Foreign Policy

Times reporter Norman Kempster is on target (“U.S. Envoys: No Longer an Idyllic Life,” Part I, May 14) in moving from the discomfiture of foreign service officers and families to the causes of malaise. Indubitably, domestic political postures and posturing influence policy formation and perpetuation--sometimes beneficially, often adversely--more than is appropriate. While not all anti-American attitudes and terrorism are attributable to faulty policy, far too often our troubles are of our own making. Inevitable? No!

Much has been said and written in favor of bi partisanship in our foreign policy. I submit that it should be non partisan. A major step toward forming and maintaining wise, creative, error-free policies and relations would be establishing an utterly professional Department of State/Foreign Service, untainted by political appointees, presided over (seriatim) by secretaries-general climaxing distinguished foreign-service careers. Properly organized and conducted, it could, through each secretary of state, serve the President so well that changes of Administration would not arouse worry at home and periods of concern abroad.

DONALD E. WEBSTER

Claremont

(The writer is a retired foreign service officer.)