The Gist Shadi Hamid: The Left Should Learn to Love American Power
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Dec 12, 2025 
Shadi Hamid, a noted columnist and senior fellow specializing in Middle East politics, argues for a progressive embrace of U.S. power in his latest insights. He critiques the Left's retreat from global engagement, highlighting the chaos in regions like Syria as a cautionary example. Hamid reflects on historical instances where U.S. intervention led to positive outcomes and warns that moral righteousness without action is futile. He calls for a pragmatic approach to influence American policy, especially in light of recent conflicts like Gaza.
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Left's Retreat Threatens Moral Influence
- Many progressives distrust American power after repeated post-9/11 interventions and recent political shifts.
- Shadi Hamid argues the Left should remain engaged because U.S. power combined with moral purpose can produce better outcomes than withdrawal.
Dramatic Drop In Democratic Pride
- Pride in America has plunged among Democrats from over 85% to 36% since the early 2000s.
- Hamid sees this as evidence of a deep leftist crisis of confidence about national power and identity.
Personal Shift After Iraq War Protests
- Hamid recounts his own radicalization protesting the Iraq War and blaming America first.
- He says experience and study later led him to modify that stance toward a more pragmatic view of U.S. power.
