Avoid war at all costs
The article “Pence says more U.S. sanctions on the way” (Feb. 8) shows the Trump administration continues to be enamored with using war to solve the crisis on the Korean Peninsula. Granted, North Korea is still an evil dictatorship as it always has been, but it is already under the maximum pressure of unprecedented sanctions. This has moved the two Koreas toward a dialogue. South Korea recognizes the Olympics present a perfect opportunity to turn aside from incendiary rhetoric and explore diplomatic avenues for peace. Vice President Mike Pence, however, cannot muster the statesmanship the world used to expect from the United States and can only warn against diplomatic overtures. The last Korean War resulted in the deaths of approximately 10 percent of the Korean population. The next war will not be a bloody nose; it will be an international humanitarian catastrophe. Pence and President Trump need to do the hard work of promoting peace and discard the easy fantasy of a military solution.