The threat of North Korean military action against South Korea or the United States
is very real, and Washington’s response has been less than impressive to say the
least.
President Obama and his advisors have chosen to meet Kim Jong-un’s aggression
with a strong response every step of the way. This has escalated tensions in the
region and has been largely counter-productive.
In 2008, Obama pledged to withdraw troops from the Middle East. Five years later,
his actions are threatening to involve those same troops in a separate, yet equally
avoidable conflict.
For a country still recovering from two wars in the Middle East, the thought
of another war halfway around the world is appalling. All efforts to avoid
confrontation should be explored, and Obama’s administration has failed miserably.
Instead of meeting North Korea’s provocative actions with a strong response, we
should be focusing on diplomatic answers.
Our military presence in the region is pointless. South Korea has an army. If they
face an attack, they can protect themselves. Why do American lives need to be lost
every time one country threatens another?
While diplomatic responses may not be effective, an effort needs to be made to
avoid conflict. The only thing Obama’s actions are accomplishing is to escalate the
already strained region.
George Washington was one of the most brilliant minds to ever run this country, and
in his farewell address to the nation, he advocated isolation.
Washington believed that the only way to build a young, tattered country into a
world power was to stay concerned with domestic issues.
In the past six decades, the United States has become consumed with the idea that
we need to meddle in other country’s affairs. It has put a strain on our military
and economy, and the obvious solution is to look to the home front and fix what is
broken in our country.
Instead of getting more involved in yet another conflict, we should be more
concerned with what is happening here at home. There are plenty of pressing issues
to keep our government busy.
Obama should heed the advice our first president left us with. The less involved we
are in foreign affairs, the better our country will be. The strain that unnecessary
wars put on our already damaged economy, combined with the needless loss of lives
makes our involvement in North Korea absurd.
If North Korea’s provocative actions continue to be met with strong responses, a
war in Korea seems inevitable. The answer is simple; fix problems at home instead
of becoming more involved abroad.
Chris Dierken can be reached by email at dierken.record@live.com and on Twitter
@cdierken