We know that is the responsibility of the President and Commander in Chief but the Trump administration seems to enjoy speaking with multiple voices on Iran in order to mislead the American people who need to hear one voice. Last week the Pentagon issued its report on Iran and said the country was living up to its nuclear agreement with the U.S. and its allies and were in compliance.
Soon after the Pentagon report President Trump said Iran was not living up to the spirit of the agreement and soon after that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the State department would begin a comprehensive study of the agreement because the agreement does not stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. The U.S. allies who are party to the agreement agree with the Pentagon and so does Israel's intelligence service.
Trump was one of several republicans who said if elected would void the Iran agreement so now the Trump administration through several voices are trying to create a new chapter and a possible unnecessary confrontation with Iran. President George W. Bush called Iraq, Iran and North Korea an axis of evil but those three countries never did match the definition of being an axis.
The United States will be in Afghanistan 16 years come October, our country's longest war and just recently General John Nicholson, commander of U.S. forces in that country called for thousands of additional troops to help prop up the Afghan military to help the fight against the Taliban and other militant groups who occupy a number of strong holds. The question needs to be answered as to why Afghanistan can not secure their own country after 16 years of American assistance, both military and financial?
And now we are in a stage of so called tough talk from the President concerning North Korea and Iran. Our men and women in uniform have been in that dangerous part of the world now for over 16 years and they have been in South Korea for 65 years and are still in both places. Our men and women deserve better. Our country and its people need a President and Commander in Chief who speaks with one voice on foreign policy with wisdom who understands the folly of loose talk when it comes to war. Its easy to go to war but much harder to withdraw from one, especially if it is an unnecessary one that destabilizes.
The answer to the Korean problem is to unify the country where there is only one Korea. A divided country and people will always be trouble. I wrote a commentary on this subject several years ago and it is relevant more so today. The unification of Viet Nam is a good example, so is the unification of Germany and Berlin which were once divided and split and caused nothing but trouble. But one Germany and one Berlin is now peaceful.
World leaders need to find a way and urge North and South Korea to unify themselves with out outside interference. One country, one people and one voice. And the effort should be led by the leader of the free world, the President of the United States.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
