US Foreign Policy

Hi All:

One of the big news stories of the past week was President Obama's willingness to want to talk with some foreign countries who are not our friends. These countries are so anti-American that previously we haven't wanted to "sit down" and talk with them. The countries that I am speaking of are: Venezuela, Cuba and Iran. Before I continue, we should look at our country's past history of dealing with countries that also vehemently hated the United States of America.

Almost sixty eight years ago, back in 1941, we declared war (and rightfully so) against Japan after their unprovoked attack on Pearl Harbor that killed thousands of Americans. Japan immediately became our sworn enemy and we were not going to stop fighting them until they capitulated. In addition, we declared war against Germany (another sworn enemy) and were not going to stop fighting them until they also capitulated. It took 4 years and tens of thousands of our troops being killed until the US and our allies declared victory over both countries when they finally surrendered.

During the 1960's we went to "war" against North Vietnam due to their aggression against South Vietnam. Although that "war" lasted almost 10 years we didn't win and tens of thousands of our troops were killed and North Vietnam never surrendered. North Vietnam did take over South Vietnam which we were trying to stop from happening.

Fast forward to the present day. Now Germany and Japan are some of the most important friends this country has. Does that mean that we have to go to war against a country and beat them before we can sit down to talk with them that ultimately leads to our being friends? Not true! North Vietnam won that "war" but now relations with the US are becoming more normalized then anyone could have predicted back in 1973.

So why then it is such a bad idea to want to sit down and talk with other countries who are not our friends? Critics say that the US should never talk to these countries. Unfortunately that policy did not work during the past 8 years.

Common sense must be used here because diplomacy is the appropriate course of action to take. If this country can sit down and talk to these countries that eventually leads to ironing out what ever issues exist, without a single life being lost, then I am all for it. Go common sense!

Until next week.