Strong military keeps world peace

Strong military keeps world peace

In your Nov, 10 editorial, “The thin hope for peace from a war long ago,” you wrote, “Think about this. Since the end of World War I, Americans have been at war almost as much time as we have lived in peace” and later it stated that we should “advance the Wilsonian vision that human beings could put an end to the prospect of war.”

I think you’ve missed the verdict of history here. The verdict is that the United States has largely kept the global peace since World War II — global casualties from World War I were 37 million, and World War II were 60 million. Conflicts that have followed these, including Korea, Vietnam, Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq, while all horrible, pale in comparison.

The peace has largely been kept by our overwhelming military strength. Sadly, the human condition means there will always be those who lust after power and wish to oppress the weak. These despots are not kept in check by the United Nations or Wilsonian idealism. They are kept in check by ensuring the fighting men and women from the world’s largest democracy have the means to punish them severely if they act. This is expensive and requires the U.S. to maintain its economic leadership. Our newest aircraft carrier, The USS Gerald Ford, will cost $13 billion. Today our annual GDP is $15 trillion, compared to China the next largest at $7 trillion. However, with the U.S. debt at $17 trillion, the chairman of the joint chiefs has said it represents the single biggest threat to our security.

The peace is kept through a strong economy that funds our military and keeps any foe from testing the resolve of the free men and women of the U.S.

Scott V. Alvis

Wheaton