In the mid-eighties when nuclear war looked inevitable between the United States and the Soviet Union President Reagan was being advised to make a pre-emptive strike because the proponents of war believed we could win, at that time, the “inevitable” war against the Russians. Instead Reagan chose a strategic defense initiative which became known as “SDI” or what many called : “Star Wars”. It was an idea proposed by Dr. Edward Teller, “Father of the Hydrogen Bomb” to create an anti-missile shield to defend against incoming nuclear armed missiles. Of course the concept turned out to be wishful thinking for it was impossible to technologically develop and employ such a system. If such a system could be developed we are still probably years away from such development. The important lesson is that Reagan sought a defensive solution to what appeared to be an inevitable war looming in the near future. While working on SDI Reagan also did nothing to antagonize the Soviet Union and in time this non- action became part of and known as “Strategic Patience”. Reagan also relentlessly enforced a positive image of America and our culture to the rest of the world; he drove home the image that we were, in fact, “ the shinning City on the Hill”.That positive image created by Reagan turned out to be a better shield against harm than any Star Wars missile defense system could ever have achieved -for who would want to destroy the shinning city on the hill. It was our image and our American values and lifestyle, not our military muscle, that brought an end to the Soviet Union. In the end our American Way of Life and “Strategic Patience” paid off.
Trump appears to have no understanding of any of this because he doesn't seem interested in learning about anything that proved successful by any of his predecessors. It has been said that Trump sees the world as though it did not exist before his inauguration. He's not into learning anything. He believes he knows everything and nothing better get in the way of his ego – and that's what makes North Korea so dangerous. Trump's looking for a fight; he's looking to spill blood because it's not his blood. He's the bully tough guy with all the money with the hired goons to beat up people he doesn't like – only now He's President and controlling the finest and most lethal armed forces in the world.
The present crisis with Korea has been brought on by Trump based upon an uncorroborated intelligence report provided by his appointed Intelligence Chief Dan Coats saying the North Koreans have advanced their war capability far beyond what we believed and they are now a real nuclear threat to the United States. Again it is uncorroborated intelligence delivered to Trump who , normally, does not believe our Intelligence.
Immediately the United Nations is made aware of the North Korean situation and tough additional sanctions, supported both by Russia and China, are placed upon North Korea. It is South Korea that is all important to consider with North Korean guns pointed and ready to blow it off the map within minutes. This is what has really kept the cool of all our Presidents beginning with Eisenhower who brought about the cease fire. That's right “cease fire” because that's all it is -and ready to commence firing again at anytime -only this time with world wide conflagration. Instead of giving sanctions a chance to work with a continuation of “Strategic Patience” which has proven to work in the past,and has kept the fragile peace in South Korea. Trump, not known for patience, blows his top!
One of the saving graces is that the world has come to know Trump as a blowhard so as dangerous as his words are -not too many people lose sleep over his words The same words if were ever uttered by a previous President of the United States -there would not be enough room in the bomb shelters to hold the hoards of people wanting-in before Dooms Day hits. Still, what Trump said had the world's attention for he was calling-out Kim jong un. The thought of antagonizing the unstable neurotic leader was unthinkable because of the potential consequences -nuclear war. Trump threatened with “Fire and Fury of which the world has never seen before”. Saying this to a country whose next door neighbor was the recipient of two of our Atom Bombs” gives a lot a credibility to Trump's fiery words. Now put those words in the ears on an equally unsound ego maniac (Kim jong un) as our President – and the threat is real. And it has been brought-on entirely by Trump.
The other saving grace for our country are the Generals: Kelly, Mattis, Danforth, and McMaster. Trump is surrounded by the finest Generals in our country with proven capability of leading our fighting forces. They are out there trying to still the stormy waters creating by Trump and they will, more than likely, be successful, and should be able to, at least, keep war away from America's door step. South Korea will not be able to escape and thousands or hundreds of thousands or maybe even millions of Koreans will be killed and wounded. This is the reality of Trump's incendiary words, and the fire the Generals must extinguish for the sake of humanity.
