Your Opinion: Increased military won't bring increased security

Dear Editor:

The cruise missile attack on Syria, dropping of the MOAB bomb on alleged ISIS positions in Afghanistan, extreme sabre rattling and a lack of genuine diplomacy toward nuclear-armed North Korea are grievous actions that could lead to yet another/greater war. A path to peace they are not.

The Trump administration displays a worrying recklessness, and disregard for both international law and constitutional separation of powers. These actions threaten our security and democratic governance.

The Trump administration appears to have no/little concern for diplomatic means to conflict resolution. It is a violation of international law to attack a sovereign state, based upon allegations of the use of chemical weapons, without evidence. Simply announcing that Syria is the guilty party does not make it fact. If guilty, Syria, would be guilty of a war crime; Syrian officials responsible should be brought before the International Criminal Court. U.S. military intervention in Syria presents possible escalation of conflict with Russian forces based there engaging in joint operations with Syrian government forces. This presents grave dangers as well.

Trump's administration has not sought congressional authorization for its actions, mandated by the Constitution and the War Powers Act. Congress should demand such authorization and deem war action their most momentous responsibility.

Insensitivity to consequences of such actions in the volatile Middle East does not bode well for the unfolding crisis in North Korea, where the administration has been issuing public threats that might escalate into armed conflict with a reckless, nuclear-armed regime.

Increasing use of U.S. military actions globally lie at the core of expanding terror threats and attacks. Expanding our military force globally has served to undermine our lives, curtail our freedoms, invade our privacy and shrink our liberties at home, while incentivizing militarily weaker enemies and rivals to better arm themselves and find other-terrorist-means to get at what they see as the tyrant attacking them. Consequently, we are in what appear to be endless wars in far off countries. It is imperative for the U.S. to recognize the limits of power, especially military power.

Even with our immense wealth and unparalleled military might, it seems Americans sense themselves as weak and are afraid. Accordingly, we have succumbed to elect a president that sees America as weak and believes in the illusion that an ever-increasing use of military force can bring us security. It cannot.

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