Gov. John Kasich Op-Ed: The US must turn to the world again
In time for the Munich Security Conference, Gov. John Kasich submitted an op-ed to Der Tagesspiegel, a popular German publication, writing about the vacuum being left by America’s diminishing leadership internationally:
The US must turn to the world again
American isolationism threatens peace worldwide, writes the Republican Governor of Ohio in a commentary for the Tagesspiegel.
In the second half of the twentieth century, as the strongest military, economic and scientific power, the US was a beacon of hope for democracy and the free economy, and we were able to use our power and global influence to share in our values and prosperity can.
Today, the US is vociferously calling for the retreat behind our borders, as the world faces major challenges and threats. We must not listen to these voices, but turn to the world again. Achieving our goals for the 21st century – preserving our military, diplomatic and economic power as a force for peace and democracy in a changing world – requires us to rethink and redesign our leadership. This means building a stronger military and stronger international defense and trade alliances.
Spending on the military needs to increase
An increase in the US military budget is indispensable. Already our military is overloaded, and the combat readiness is perceived as insufficient. We must not allow increased spending to merely subsidize these problems, while new money flows into more politically attractive programs.
Important strategic challenges must be considered. The proliferation of nuclear weapons must continue to confront the US with nuclear deterrence . We need to modernize our nuclear weapons and weapons deployment systems to adapt military deterrence to the new multipolar international situation. It is characterized by competition between established and ascending powers, with threats that extend beyond traditional battlefields into space and cyberspace.
Modernize nuclear arsenal
Contemporary international defense alliances must be tailored to these facts: a worrying network of new threats and actors that goes far beyond the well-known conventional and nuclear threats from Russia, including new threats emanating from China, North Korea and Iran and non-state actors.
US President Trump has rightly pointed out that our allies can now afford to shoulder a larger share of their defense costs themselves. Thus, our coalitions can produce a series of dynamic, problem-oriented coalitions in which the parties assume much greater responsibility for themselves and for the defense of their immediate neighbors.
Free trade promotes peace
Indispensable counterparts of a strong global security framework are partnerships for free and open trade. Those who trade with each other, said Ronald Reagan, develop close relationships that promote peace. Fair trade agreements must be an integral part of any future security system.
In order to make the search for a new consensus in security policy a success, Republicans and Democrats in Washington must be willing to respect each other and make compromises. Only in this way will we be able to carry out sustainable reforms in finance, education and other areas in order to regain the confidence of American citizens in international engagement.
From the past, we can draw strength together for the future, realists and idealists around the world can help the US to return to world politics with optimism, with the goal of actively shaping one’s own national destiny and ensuring its own security in the future, America – and the world – are becoming stronger and more prosperous.