Current Foreign Relations

I am a 23 year-old postgraduate with an engineering degree. This is my first post, so I though I would predicate myself with that information, as I see my views as logical and know that there will be a vast majority of people who disagree vehemently. I have decided to attempt to throw my hat in the ring as a political commenter with the intent of angering as few people as possible in a very polarizing subject. I have always seen myself as a fiscal and social conservative, a political viewpoint usually reserved for the “snobs” and “hicks,” I can assure you I am neither and that I am not alone. My beliefs are founded in a protestant up-bringing in a rural community, I believe these factors have bred in me ideals of personal responsibility and more importantly personal accountability which I have found all to lacking in the “grown-up” world.

I have recently read news of the proliferation of nuclear arms by the nation of Iran, and have found the subject to be quite concerning. Never before has our Nation allowed another to build up a stock-pile of arms, much less develop weapons-grade nuclear fuel without the threat of military action or at least of economic sanctions. I do not think that now is the time to begin this policy. I am aware that the United States cannot remain the “bully in the playground” that tells everyone what to do and rely on our importance in the global economy to maintain our allies, but at some point we do have to step up and demand that threatening actions are ceased in defense of global peace. I would like to go ahead and say that I am not proposing the “bomb, bomb, Iran” approach that many people who disagree with my views are going to brand this argument with. I am saying that imposing economic sanctions in cooperation with other world powers at this point in an ailing global climate could motivate the deceleration of Iran’s nuclear proliferation. The costs of allowing Iran to continue on unchecked could be disastrous, the world has only seen detonation of two atomic bombs on populous areas and the ramifications of the bitterness and tension remain today. For this to happen in an area where political instability has been well-documented and long withstanding would be disastrous. These sanctions would rely on the alliance of traditional archrivals, the United States and Russia. I am willing to concede President Obama has made strides in thawing these relations, but he has also made what I believe missteps as well. The elimination of the missile shield we had proposed to protect Eastern Europe could have been a bargaining chip in our favor in the discussion of sanction on Iran. However, we have decided to try a good-faith measure of scrapping the program and hoping it will get us further on their good graces. Only time will tell if this approach will prove successful, but only one thing is for certain, it will not help us in the immediate future. The shield was proposed to protect Eastern European nations who are in constant fear of the bullying that Russia is capable of, how do you think these nations feel about our decision to leave them unprotected.

I believe that the situation in Iran is of utmost importance and should deserve a good portion of our president’s attention and I am not convinced that this is the case. As of today it seems our president is going to be doing a little campaigning for democrats who desperately need his support and I am aware of the fact that at least the last three Republican presidents have done very similar things, but they are no longer our president and they are not facing the tough choices and challenges our president is. President Obama and John McCain made sure to publicize their willingness to drop everything tangential to deal with issues of critical national importance, but I have yet to see President Obama give any item the attention it deserves with the exception of healthcare overhaul. I do not think I am alone when I say the majority of Americans would at least put healthcare third on a list with national security and overall economic health. I believe the healthcare issue has taken precedence because it has become a must-win for the administration to prove their accomplishments and failure to pass the legislation could be disastrous for the Democratic Party. I prefaced these opinions by stating that I intended to ruffle no feathers by writing this, because I believe that political implications are behind most of the decisions that our government makes, so I believe we all need to downplay political rivalries for us to finally be able to focus on what is best for our nation.