"Whatever it is that the government does, sensible Americans would prefer that the government does it to somebody else. This is the idea behind foreign policy"

This quote by P. J. O'Rourke recommends that Americans would rather the federal government do something to somebody else, instead of to them. This concept is the basis of foreign policy, which is the way a nation communicates with other nations. It is a method for a country to secure its own interests and people, while likewise trying to maintain peace and stability in the world. The idea is that if the federal government is doing something to another person, it is not doing it to the people of the nation. This permits the people to feel more safe and safeguarded, while likewise permitting the federal government to pursue its own interests. In essence, this quote is recommending that foreign policy is a method for a nation to protect its residents, while likewise pursuing its own interests.