I wonder how many Americans fully understand what U.S. foreign policy has meant for people on the receiving end of it.

I wonder how many Americans fully understand what U.S. foreign policy has meant for people on the receiving end of it.

From a distance, war can become a press conference, a patriotic speech or a debate about whether a president looks strong. For the families living through it, the questions are much simpler: Is everyone alive? Is home still standing? Where can we go?

That gap deserves more attention. A country’s actions abroad should be discussed through the experiences of the people affected, alongside its stated intentions and national interests.

This is not about blaming every American for decisions made in Washington. Many Americans question military intervention, protest wars and demand accountability. But citizenship should come with a willingness to examine what is done in your name, even when the answers are uncomfortable.

Loving your country should leave room for listening to people who have suffered because of its choices.

How differently would Americans judge foreign policy if those families’ stories received as much attention as speeches from the White House?