Repairing America's Image Abroad

Bush's buddy Karen P. Hughes is finally ready to start improving our country's image overseas. Gee, not a moment too soon. Here are a few thoughts for her:

***Don't torture prisoners and undermine everything this country stands for -- doing so mocks the values that used to represent a beacon of hope to people around the world.

***When prisoners are tortured, punish the officials in charge; don't give them medals.

***Don't launch illegal wars that are unjustified by the facts, by international law and by common sense.

***Don't cozy up to cruel monarchies that fund extremism like Saudi Arabia. Don't cozy up to Pakistan, a military dictatorship that is the world's biggest supplier of WMD material and know-how to rogue states and terrorist groups. When you do, no one will believe you truly support democracy.

***Don't encourage military coups in Venezuela and then turn around and cynically claim that country's democratically elected leader is a threat to democracy in South America.

Any other suggestions for Karen?