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The content of this web page is arranged under the following
headings:
1. Iran Nuclear Deal
2. U.S. Israel Embassy Location
3. Syria Civil War
4. North Korea
1. Iran Nuclear Deal
Renegotiating the Iran nuclear deal might result in (1) Iran saying it is free to resume its nuclear program without restraints, (2) Israel threatening to destroy any weapons development sites, and (3) five other world powers who signed the accord refusing to go along with the renegotiation. An alternative is to use the verification provisions in the existing deal to make sure Iran complies with all the terms for limiting its program to peaceful purposes. (Source: Article in the USA Today section of The Indianapolis Star on November 25, 2016.)
2. U.S. Israel Embassy Location
The Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1996 requires the president to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv unless he certifies every six months that it is not in the national interest. Every president since Bill Clinton has done so, including President Obama most recently on December 1, 2016 - giving President Trump until the end of May 2017 to make a formal decision. (Source: Article in the USA Today section of The Indianapolis Star on January 23, 2017.)
3. Syria Civil War
If Russia is emboldened to go all out to help Syrian President Bashar Assad prevail in the civil war, (1) a victorious Assad might let Russia establish a permanent military base in the Middle East, (2) Assad's success might expand the influence of close ally Iran in the region, and (3) a new tide of refugees might flee to Europe. An alternative is for the U.S. to continue supporting the rebels to pressure Assad to step down in favor of a diplomatic settlement. (Source: Article in the USA Today section of The Indianapolis Star on November 25, 2016.)
4. North Korea
China used an August 11 editorial in its state-owned newspaper to create a wise stalemate on the Korean peninsula. China stated, "If the U.S. and South Korea carry out strikes and try to overthrow the North Korean regime and change the political pattern of the Korean Peninsula, China will prevent them from doing so." China offset this warning by further stating, “China should also make clear that if North Korea launches missiles that threaten U.S. soil first and the U.S. retaliates, China will stay neutral.”
There is now a military stalemate because the United States will not initiate a military conflict with North Korea if it means war with China. And North Korea will not first bomb the United States or its allies if North Korea will lose China’s military support.
As distressing as it may be, North Korea has joined the United States, China, Russia, France, Britain, Pakistan, India, and Israel as a nuclear state. North Korea will still possess nuclear weapons even if it stops testing missiles and nuclear bombs in accordance with the August 5 United Nations Security Council resolution. This situation is no cause for excessive alarm as long as China maintains the military stalemate on the Korean peninsula.
China has made it possible for calm, clear-thinking citizens worldwide to insist that their leaders work to stop the war-mongering bluster on both sides of the Pacific. It is a shame that China has become the “adult in the room” within the family of nations.
This page was last updated on 09/03/17.