Appeal to the potential friends and stop focusing on potential enemies.

The first part of this entry by Bob Harris on Tom Tomorrow's blog is the most human analysis of the state of things in Iraq that I have seen in a while.

In his post script, he makes the oft overlooked point that we need to quit ignoring the potential good will that is out there for us in the world and what we stand to lose.

This Modern World by Tom Tomorrow: September 12, 2004 - September 18, 2004 Archives: "In the past year, I have personally visited three of the six biggest Muslim countries on Earth, and I have spoken at some length with ordinary Sunnis and Shia on four continents. This week I have just returned from Egypt, where I listened to lots of perfectly average people on the street, in trains, shops, and cafes.
This is true, I swear: we have hundreds of millions more potential friends than America realizes right now. And we are losing them for a generation or more. I promise you that on my soul.
Seven days ago, I was in Alexandria, watching waves break against the rocky shoreline with a 20-year-old named Mahmoud who loves Bruce Lee movies and wants to visit China and study in the footsteps of his hero. He's a devoted Muslim who playfully tried to talk me into converting; he also thinks Bin Laden is (his words) 'against Islam.' You'd like this guy, I promise. And he'd like you.
Mahmoud wanted very much to know was if Kerry is a good man, and if he would stop the killing, and how Americans could possibly support what is happening in Iraq.
I still don't know all the answers to his questions. But that's what they were."

There is more and it is worth reading.