The War in Iraq

Since the war is the foremost topic in most folks' minds, it seems like an appropriate topic with which to occupy my first blog. As a resident of Silicon Valley, I've been inundated with news of various anti-war protests and with the views of various anti-war protestors. While I agree that war is abhorent and should be used only as a last resort, I think many people are naive and misguided in opposing the war in Iraq. Iraq represents a unique circumstance in which our interest in securing a vital natural resource and disarming a dangerous regional threat intersects with our interest in toppling a cruel and inhumane dictator and promoting the spread of democratic values. As such, Operation Freedom should be supported by all of us who believe in American ideals and are concerned for the welfare of the Iraqi people.

Some people have remarked on the differences between our treatment of Saddam Hussein and Kim Jong Il. We use kid gloves on Pyongyang because we know that North Korea has nuclear weapons and because we know that Kim Jong Il wouldn't hesitate to attack Seoul and Japan. Thus, North Korea is a warning to us of what Iraq may become. If we don't disarm Saddam Hussein now, before he develops more sophisticated and deadly weapons, we may be stuck with another madman in a strategic location for the indefinite future.

Peace is a wonderful thing and ought to be sought for by all people. But we shouldn't sacrifice a lasting peace in the future for a fragile, false peace today.