Regardless of one’s views regarding the outcome of the recent voting results, one thing on which I hope we can all agree is that we do not want war with North Korea. Such a conflict, even if it did not go nuclear, would be catastrophic, likely with many unforeseen consequences. I applaud President Trump for pursuing meaningful contact with North Korea to achieve denuclearization. However, as a former Navy fighter pilot and career civilian intelligence professional who knows the capabilities and limitations of military power, I am concerned that the Trump administration’s strict adherence to “maximum pressure” until North Korea gives up its nukes, without meaningful interim steps, is a recipe for a potentially disastrous presidential miscalculation.
Real diplomacy is hard, often circuitous, and typically takes time to achieve results when tackling complex issues. It almost always includes a series of mutual confidence-building measures along the path to a successful conclusion. This step-by-step process will be essential if Kim Jong Un is to get to a place where he feels he does not need nukes as leverage to survive.
Congress has an important role to play in ensuring the president pursues foreign policies in the best interests of our nation. I urge our new representative-elect, Joe Neguse, and Sens. Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet to speak out publicly in favor of real diplomacy with North Korea and against a war of choice. Only Congress can declare war. Gardner, in particular, due to his Republican party affiliation and position as chairman of the Asia Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is in a strong position to publicly and privately influence the president and his administration to stay on the diplomatic path, even when it gets bumpy.
Mark Pfundstein
Boulder