Choose a country we have discussed. What should the U.S.’s approach to maintaining national security look like? Refer to the philosophies just mentioned. If discussing war, you should also refer to the Geneva Convention and Biblical definition of just war.
I believe that the United States should focus their national security on Iraq because they have a history of overthrowing their governmental powers in violent ways. All of their major leaders have disagreed with what is going on in the government during that time and decided to act out in violent rebellions and abundant persecutions.
ReplyDeleteFor example in 1958 they overthrew the British government by rebellions, which created the “Republic of Iraq.” Then in 1963 Aba al-Salam ‘Arif, Hussein, and Salah Omar Al-Ali Over threw the government by even more rebellions. After all the rebellions are done in1963 Sadaam Hussein seizes sole power over the Republic of Iraq. From then until 2003 they have a period of economic growth and expansion.
Then there is still persecution of over 2,000 Kurds which was influenced greatly by the Nazis of that time, which really caught the United States attention but when we found out Iraq was involved in 9-11 we decided to get revenge and use the Kurds as an excuse for the war but in all actuality it was for revenge.
1. Is their just cause?
I would have to say that if we actually went into the war to help the Kurds, and then yes it is justified but if we went in for revenge then there is no justification for this war.
2. Are we going in it for the right intentions?
I believe that if the war was to help the Kurds and free them from the rash persecutions then we had the right intentions.
3. Have we gone through the proper steps to decide whether or not we should go to war?
If what the media says is true and what I have heard from various sources is true, then yes we had gone through the proper procedure to go to war.
4. Was it a last resort?
I would have to say it was defiantly not as last resort. We could have rebuilt it, but the amount of good citizens we lost can never be replaced.
5. Was their a high probability of our success?
Are we actually resolving the reasons we went to war? This just depends on why one feels they went to war. I feel that we have accomplished freeing a lot of Kurds but in turn we have sacrificed many American lives. So for me I feel we have failed in this step of a just war because we have lost so many innocent American Lives.
6. Are we going to war with a higher goal in mind then what we could possibly loose during the war?
I feel we didn’t go in with a higher goal in mind then what we could have and did loose. I mean freeing Kurds from persecutions is good and all but was it worth thousands of innocent American lives? We have no major sense of accomplishment if we win and if we loose, we loose more American soldiers lives then what we have already so it technically a loose loose situation.
So in conclusion the Iraq war should not be considered a just war and we should not worry about our national security in regards to Iraq as much as we do. Iraq is pretty much defenseless when it comes to our national security systems since 9-11, and we have no need to be alarmed by Iraq’s political powers and what is going on over there. Sorry this format is weird...it doesnt like my Micrisoft formatting.
North Korea is a county that has been embraced by communism, civil war, and nuclear weapons. They also have an unstable ruler, Kim Jon-il. Their nuclear weapons and unrest cause concerns for the United States security. To stay secure with North Korea, I think the U.S. should also have nuclear weapons at hand and be on good terms with Kim Jon-il.
ReplyDeleteTo maintain security with North Korea, the USA should be on good terms with the ruler. Because he is known for being unstable, we need to know that he is not against us. If we are not on good terms with him, he could use his nuclear powers against us at anytime. This is another reason we need to be on good terms with them. They are a leader in nuclear weapons. North Korea stared testing with nuclear weapons in 2009 and now have somewhere between 6 to 8 weapons. They first started experimenting with plutonium and now are believed to have a handful of chemical weapons.
I believe that is permissible for countries like North Korea to be in possession of nuclear weapons. For the U.S. to be secure, we also need to have them. Fear of being hit with weapons by other countries is likely to stop attacks from all nations in possession of nuclear weapons.
I think that the U.S had a just and Biblical cause for entering in the Cold War. I think that it was just because the fight against communism is a worthy cause. They saw that it would be hurting other countries and did not want to let it spread. This was important because Korea was pushing other countries to join into communism rule. I also think that it is Biblical because the U.S was not going in for any selfish or greedy intentions.
Blog Number 3
ReplyDeleteThe country I choose was Iran. This is a country that that split with opposing religious and leaders trying to have the most power. Their two religious groups, which make up Iran are Shia and Sunni. The majority religion is the Shia, which make up about 89% of the country. While the Sunni make up a low 9% of the religious population.
I think from the definitions of the Just Cause theory we had a majority of the reason to go into this war with them. We had a “just cause” which was that we thought that the people where getting tortured by the Shia so we stepped in to make things right. I legitimately this we had right intentions going into this war. But I think we didn’t the right theory of war going into it.
We didn’t have the “Biblical Just War” intentions into going into this war. The definition of a “Biblical Just War” is you must have a just cause but going with God’s will not by greed or harassment. I think we went into their country with greed and harassment to better help the citizens of our nation. Rather than take the time and try to resolve things with that country.
The country that I choose was Iraq. This country has been plagued with war and uprise since the begining of the country. Since Iraqs begining it has so many changes of power and different religons coming and going through the country and creating war and crime throughout the country.
ReplyDeleteIn 1920 Iraq was created out of the Ottman empire and was placed under british control. Later in iraq gained independence in 1932, but in 1958 the monarcy was over thrown and the republic of Iraq came to power. This is a prime example of the changes of power they have had and conflicts that have filled the history of this country.
Another reason this country is so corupt is with the diverse types of religions within Iraq. With two different types of muslims and also even christians mixed in is a huge reason also why Iraq has been flooded with civil wars and fights.
Lastly with the creation of the Ba'ath Party which was in power until 2003 has had nothing but bad influences on everone in power in that country with murdering 200000 kurds with in after thoughts. Even with there leads who followed the ways of the nazis were nothing but troudle. And finally the latest terrible feat within this country was Sadaam Hussein coming to power in 2004 just ended in death and civil war brooke out throughout the country with the persecution of thousands of innocent people.
I agree with BIG BOI, that the U.S. had a good reason to go to war because it was about the last resourt to solve the whole issue in Iraq. With all the leaders of Iraq showing no sign of stoping the tourture, in response to the U.S.'s warning to stop they only continued to do there evil deeds. So war was about the only way that The u.s. would be able to stop and help the poor people of this country.
I believe that the United States should approach the national security issue with North Korea by using the realism philosophy. This philosophy states that all countries of the world should maintain each of their own interests by whatever means necessary. I believe this because each country should be responsible for maintaining their own safety. Realistically, we need to realize that weaker countries do not always have the resources to effectively protect their nation. That is why I believe part of this belief, for me, includes stepping in sometimes, in emergency situations, to help out countries or people who cannot effectively protect themselves.
ReplyDeleteI believe we should use this approach specifically with North Korea because it is a potential threat to our own nation. The leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-il, is known to be a very unstable man. Having an unstable person in charge of a country that has access to nuclear weapons is very unsettling. A ruler who is unstable is one of the emergency situations where other countries might need to step in. If Jong-il starts the take away human rights and poses a threat to other countries’ safety, then interference will be necessary.
Another reason to watch out for Korea is because they are a Communist country. I do not mean to be prejudice against a different political viewpoint than my native country; it is just that there is a history of hostility between Communist countries and the U.S. For instance, the Cold War and the Korean War are prime examples of tension between democratic countries and Communist countries. That is why we need to be wary of North Korea.
If North Korea becomes a hazard to other countries’ security or their own nation’s people’s rights, then war might be necessary. A Biblical just war is a very hard thing to define. My idea of a Biblical just war is one that is fought to help the poor and oppressed. The Bible tells us we are to care for the widows, the poor, and the orphans. That is why I believe it would be just for the U.S to step in and take action if the North Korean government started to take away it’s citizens’ rights. A Biblical just war is also one that is entered with the conviction that God has called us to enter into warfare. This is very tough to discern most times, but ideally this is the best way to approach a war; that is with God on your side. Also, when you are deciding whether a war is Biblical just or not, you need to determine whether you are entering the war with good intentions or not. Good intentions are necessary for a war to be just.
In response to Janelle Aupperlee’s comment, I agree that we should focus on Iraq for our national security issues, but I disagree on your reasoning of why we should focus on them. I think we should focus on them because our two countries are in a state of tension right now. We entered into their country and helped to overthrow their oppressive government. This made some people very happy, but it also made some people very angry and that is why I think they are a threat to our national security. I disagree with your reasoning that we should focus on them because they have a history of overthrowing their governmental powers in violent ways. I disagree with this because that is how our country got their freedom. We used war, which is violent in my opinion, to overthrow British rule over our colonies. We did this to gain our freedom and to make the country into what it is today. That is why I disagree with your reasoning.
North Korea has been a communist country since the 1950's. Becasue they are such a strong and powerful nation, with a pretty unstable ruler, the U.S. has had to pay attention to what they are doing with their nuclear weapons. The U.S, North Korea and several other countries do have weapons for "self defense" purposes. But another reason for not getting rid of all the weapons is becasue they/we do not want to risk the chance of getting attacked by countries that still have their weapons. And no country wants to be the first one out.
ReplyDeleteI believe that idealism is the philosophy that we should take to approach the nuclear weapons problem. President Obama said that he wanted to reduce the number of weapons that North Korea has by using the Six-Party process. The idea of the Six-Party Talks is to reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the region of North Korea. This is a very good idea, but I think that inorder to get North Korea to cooperate, we all need to reduce the number of weapons we have at the same time. That way, not one country is left weak, or one country decided not to follow through and still has weapons and is planning an attack and we have no way to defend ourselves. By using idealism, we can all slowly reduce the number of weapons equally.
In response to saleprice, I agree with her idea that we need to be on good tearms with the ruler, Kim Jong-il. By being on good terms with him, we will have a better chance of slowly denuclearizing not only North Korea, but all the other countries like Russia and Iran that have posession of nuclear weapons.
Response:
ReplyDeleteI would have to agree with Ricky, because of the fact that Iran has had a history of trying to overthrow and take power over us and others around them. So why would they not want to try again? It’s within their nature to take power in boisterous ways.
My opinion:
I want to focus on Iran also; I think that the United States should center our National Security on Iran. Iran has had their history of sudden attacks and unimaginable ways to strive for the power, towards the United States and others. Why would they not want to try again if they have done this before? They bestow a large amount of threat and scare to the US for the reasons: their past actions and their intensions. Personally I would like to feel safe from outside threats, because great distress has already been put on our country. Why add more? To reduce the threat we should focus on Iran.
To go about protecting ourselves we might be faced with hard decisions such as war. A deciding factor of war is if it’s “just” or not. To distinguish the two, you can use Biblical research and people’s opinions. My own personal definition of a “just war” would be; going to fight with the intensions of bettering, or protecting your country from others harm, and not going with the intensions to overthrow or terrorize the other country. Good intensions would be in my opinion, if the country you are fighting with did harm to you such as; the attack on the Twin Towers. That was a horrible terrorist attack on our nation, which I feel gave us good, reasoning to go to war. That’s my feelings on a “just war”
Now other than going to war there is other ways for our country to approach their focus on Iran. Certain measures that could be taken to ensure national security include: using diplomacy to rally and isolate threat, maintaining effective armed forces, Implementing civil defense and emergency preparedness measures, using intelligence services to detect or defeat threat and protect classified information, and using secret police to protect the nation from internal threat. Through these options we could have a greater success rate with the national security.
The issues of United States national security and foreign policy are very difficult but also very important issues. North Korea is a potential threat to the United States’ national security and to the security of many other nations. The United States also has to decide what its foreign policy is regarding the violations of human rights in North Korea. I believe that the United States should not provoke war with North Korea, but they should do something about the human rights violations that are taking place in North Korea.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the United States should not enter into another war, even if some people believe it is warranted. We don’t have the money, troops, or the resources. Instead, I think we should continue to carefully observe the actions of the North Korean government. Their nuclear weapons do, however, pose a major threat to the Unites States and its allies. We need to be careful and try to prevent North Korea from using those nuclear weapons against others. I agree with saleprice that the United States should try to be on good terms with Kim Jong-il and have nuclear weapons of our own. If we get along with North Korea’s leader, he will be less likely to try to use his weapons against either the United States or its allies. Also, if we have our own nuclear weapons, North Korea would be less likely to harm the United States for fear of our retaliation.
I believe that the United States should use the philosophy of Idealism, or doing what is morally right, in dealing with North Korea. I don’t believe that war with North Korea would fall under the category of what is just and right. North Korea has not aggressively attacked the United States. War, I believe, is not the last resort either. These points, in my opinion, make war against North Korea unjust and unprovoked. If the relations between American and North Korea could improve, I think the potential threat of North Korea using its nuclear weapons would also decrease. To me, this is the morally right decision.
The United States must try to improve the human rights of the North Korean citizens. I believe the violation of human rights and the detaining of foreigners are not acceptable practices. I don’t believe that war is the right answer to these problems at this point in time. I believe we could improve the conditions in North Korea without going to war with them. This can be done by gaining intelligence about the oppressions that are occurring in North Korea, watching their leader Kim Jong-il closely, and by trying to increase the opportunity for North Korean citizens to gain more freedoms.
I don’t believe that the United States should go to war in the interest of national security. Instead, we should improve relations with North Korea, maintain our reserves of nuclear weapons, and continue to carefully watch the actions of the North Korean government. I don’t think a war with North Korea would be classified as a just war. We do not have a just cause, a probability of quick success, enough benefit from war, nor is it our last resort. I believe the United States needs to try to find a non-violent way to help the North Korean citizens under the oppressive rule of Kim Jong-il.
I agree with big boi and Ricky that we should help others in a time of need, but I don’t agree with the fact that we should be doing it if we can’t afford to. I do agree with saleprice that we should focus more on North Korea and their nuclear weapons.
ReplyDeleteLike saleprice said, North Korea is a communist country. Also their leader, Kim Jong-il, is out to lunch. He loves western movies and has even been known to run around naked with only a cowboy hat on! This is one reason right there we have to worry about this nation. With nuclear weapons in the hands of this guy you do not know what is going to happen!
Even though other countries such as Iraq have been a threat to our country with the terrorists they brought to the U.S., North Korea could kill many more people instantly. Now I do still agree that we do need to take down those terrorists, but I am also saying that North Korea could be very dangerous instantly if they used those weapons.
I do not necessarily believe that we should go to war by any means because that costs money and it would encourage them to use their weapons. We just need to be ready for them and really encourage them not to use these weapons. They can not only be a threat to their own country, but to many others as well, including us.
The interaction between the United States and North Korea is strained. In the case of North Korea, the United States should practice the philosophy of self-preservation in order to maintain national security. North Korea is extremely volatile and unpredictable. Their leader, Kim Jong-il, is known to be eccentric and unstable, and he has nuclear weapons at his disposal. I agree with Saleprice that in order to maintain national security, the United States should uphold friendly relations with North Korea, yet remain wary and cautious of the threat that North Korea presents.
ReplyDeleteThe United States needs to stay on good terms with North Korea. North Korea possesses nuclear weapons and so far has failed to denuclearize. The fact that they retained these weapons in the first place poses a threat to the U.S., as this act shows that they are able to use these weapons at any time. The efforts of the U.S. to lead the world to denuclearization have been rejected by North Korea. North Korea is highly isolated, which makes it hard to know what they are planning, if they are planning anything at all.
However, the United States also needs to remain guarded when it comes to North Korea. In order to retain some measure of defense and security, the U.S. needs to keep some nuclear weapons as well, just so that we do not become an open target, defenseless in the eyes of the countries that still hold their nuclear weapons. The U.S. needs to keep these weapons as leverage against acts of terrorism. Also, keeping these nuclear weapons will keep North Korea in line, since North Korea sees them as a threat to their own security. Fear of retaliation from other countries who also possess nuclear weapons will keep North Korea from using their own nuclear weapons.
The U.S. is not currently at war with North Korea, but if we were forced to go to war, it would be a just war because it would be for a just cause, to stop the nation from imposing terror on other countries by way of nuclear weapons. It would also be for the right intentions, which would be to stop North Korea’s human rights violations, unfair detaining of foreigners, and failure to denuclearize. It would also be a last resort, because the U.S. has tried negotiating with North Korea for peace and denuclearization, efforts which have been rejected.
In conclusion, in order to maintain national security with regards to North Korea, the U.S. needs to focus on self-preservation. The U.S. has tried negotiating with North Korea, and these efforts have failed. Since we are past the point of negotiation, the U.S. needs to focus on what is best for itself, which is to remain in good favor with North Korea, but be watchful for any signs of danger so that the U.S. can take preventative measures against North Korea before harm to the U.S. or any other countries can be done.
Iran, is this a country to worry about? Well, I think it is. In the United States there is a man by the name of Shahram Homayoun who fled Iran for government issues and disagreements. This man, who has been living in the United States, opposes the Iranian government. Iran is getting upset with this man and are about to declare war on the United States.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Big Boi that Iran is split between religious groups and we did the right thing by stepping in and fixing any disputes then, but now we must worry about the nuclear missiles that Iran wants to use to kill this man, Homayoun. Now Iran has told INTERPOL, which is a global law enforcement organization, about this man and what he has been doing to their government. Now Homayoun is a wanted man in about 190 countries for terrorism to his own country.
The United States, in my opinion, should deport this man and stay out of this war because the United States has been in many, if not all, the recent wars. Even though we have helped out numerous countries we should stay out of this war for yet another reason, we are already involved in other wars now, why go into another one.
On the other hand, if we do go into war with Iran because we seem to keep this man, Homayoun, protected then I think it would be a “just war”. This war, in my opinion, would be just because, after discussing the six reasons for being a “just war”, this covers most of these reasons. The first reason would be is because we would be protecting our country as the “just cause” reason states and we are not going in for the wrong intentions such as trying to get more land. We also have a probability of success and proportionality because we could save many lives because if Iran used their nuclear missiles that would take many lives.
The country I chose was North Korea. I agree with MDDG. North Korea is a huge threat to the United States and all who live here. North Korea is dangerous in general, due to the insanity of their ruler. While North Korea is already communist, they are ruled by someone who is not in the right frame of mind to be held accountable over himself, let alone an entire country. North Korea has been known to go around starting wars with people who can't win(South Korea) and then later being beat up by a larger country like say the U.S. Now even if we could, and we can, win a war against North Korea, we should not engage in one until our country is once more financially stable. I believe we should try to help other countries to disable North Korea, but we shouldn't take the reigns until we are in a state capable of doing so.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that the United States should start or enter another war, despite the good reasons to. We should focus on regaining our economy before entering any more wars. We should, however, keep a look out in the event that we are forced into a position of warfare. We should observe the intentions and actions of North Korea due to the potential damage they could cause using the Nuclear Weapons that they have designed. These weapons are a large threat of what could be done in a last chance attempt. We should manufacture nuclear weapons of our own to force North Korea to form a temporary alliance so that we can get back on our feet.
I agree with MDDG that idealism, being morally accountable, is a good tactic to use with North Korea. However i do believe that we have done what is just with North Korea. While there has not been any aggressive affronts towards the US., there have been implied threats through the building and manufacturing of Nuclear Weapons. To quote a movie (iron man) "Peace means holding the bigger stick". In all reality, this is true. The only way to keep another country in check and in good standing with us, is to have the ability to wipe them out, but show that we will not use it unless provoked. To me, this seems the wisest and most applicable solution. Under the definition of a biblically just war, this would not be just. However, if it was the way to prevent any attacks upon ourselves, sacrifices must be made.
I agree with Ricky that United States need a better national security. We don’t want to be like Iraq. Iraq really doesn’t have national security or if they do, it isn’t a good one. They have people walking on the streets with guns in their hands. Reason being is because it’s so corrupt. I wouldn’t like living there, knowing that they could shot me or use me as a target/ force me with bombs and walk to Americans soldiers, having them go off. They believe that it was an honor to put yourself out to commit suicide, which suicide is murder. The Bible says in the 10 commandment “you shall not murder” in a way the Iraqi’s are like the Japanese in the Pacific war. The die in honor and cruel also, they didn’t care if they use civilians to tape bombs on. They also didn’t care who they killed or what they did. They were completely nasty. You see how the Japanese were in the Pacific war and how the Iraqi’s are now. They have many similar things.
ReplyDeleteIt was a good thing we went into just war. We could maybe approach it in a different way but, we went in for good reason also called Just Cause. However, after 9/11 most of the people wanted to go to war for justice. A problem with Americans is that we forget real fast. We forget how it feels to be attacked. The only war we had on our homeland has been forgotten over generations. I don’t like to say this but, maybe we need a war on our homeland to know how it feels, which could open peoples eyes and fight for what they believe for. Fight for our freedom. Since we have a national security, we haven’t had to have a war on our homeland. By all of this, if we haven’t gone to war after 9/11 happen then we are showing people that we are weak and them more attacks could have happen and more countries could have token advantage on us, which our national security would have been completely taken away.
The Biblical definition on just war is, the believe that God called us to war. God had called us to war. He wanted us to help Iraqi’s from Saddam Hussein. Hussein isn’t a good president/ leader for any country. He had and is killing many of his own people instead of helping them. God has sent us there to help the people to escape form harm and evil. The media hadn’t help out much either. They only say negative things about the war but really, the Americans have made a huge different in these peoples lives and they are grateful that we went and help them out.
The U.S. should approach national security with a self-preservation philosophy. It should keep in mind that it is a powerful nation and needs to help other countries when they are in need of help. Regarding the United States’ involvement in Iran, the United States needs to be aware that Russia and Iran have been aiding each other in the development of nuclear programs. We need to be sensitive to Iran because nuclear weapons are dangerous and can create mass destruction. The U.S. needs to be ready to protect itself and other nations if a conflict arises regarding nuclear weapons.
ReplyDeleteRussia has been aiding Iran in developing its nuclear programs. In 2008, Russian equipment was brought over the border for Iran’s nuclear plant. No one, including the United States, Europe, and Asia knows what Tehran’s real purpose is for its nuclear program. In May of 2010, it was proven that Iran has enough nuclear fuel to make 2 nuclear weapons. The United States needs to be aware of this growing nuclear plant and take caution when dealing with Iran.
Nuclear weapons are weapons of mass destruction. According to many texts, these weapons are known as monstrous, the most devastating weapon, and a weapon able to destroy all civilization and the entire ecosystem. The situation with nuclear weapons needs to be taken seriously. Dean Babst and David Krieger said in their article that one small nuclear bomb has the power to ‘level off’ all of Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. It would also create problems of pollution and economic chaos.
The United States has a powerful nuclear supply. We are the nation with the most nuclear weapons in our possession. We are able to help other countries, but we also need to keep in mind that our protection is the most important. If we are destroyed, no other country would be strong enough to help us because no one else has as large of a supply as we do. Since 2010, President Obama has been working to decrease all possessions of nuclear weapons.
I agree with Saleprice when she stressing being on good terms with North Korea and its leaders. This could be applied to the situation in Iran. If the U.S. is at good terms with Iran, we have no need to fear its production of nuclear weapons. Iran would have no need to use them against us. It is also important for the U.S. to be at good terms with all countries because they could fear us as a result of our large stash of weapons.
In conclusion, I believe the United States is called to help other nations. Above that call, we need to protect ourselves as well. Being aware of other countries’ production of nuclear weapons is very important because of the amount of destruction they are able to create. The U.S. has concerns regarding Iran’s support of terrorism and nuclear weapons so we need to protect ourselves and get the information that is needed to be sure of their plans.
I think that we should focus all our attention on North Korea because they are creating alot of nuclear weapons that could destroy a whole country or the world. Another reason is that North Korea is really advanced in their weapons so that if we don't try and stop them, then they could try to take over each country.
ReplyDeletei agree with grace because we are currently not at war with North Korea and the reason for this is because the U.S. spends too much time in Iraq and Iran. But if we did go to war with North Korea it would end up just cause because We would just go in there so that we could destroy all of there nuclear weapons and make sure that they could not destroy any other country
I believe there is a just cause to go to war because the Iraqi government has mistreated its people for a long time. The government misuses their power. Many of the people are oppressed and we need to help them.
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