Letter to the editor: We don't need more wars

Commentary

OPINION:

Thank you for your articles mentioning the risks created by some of President-elect Donald Trump’s recent statements (“‘The joke is over’: Trump’s ‘51st state’ talk not funny anymore, Canadian officials say” and “Meddling Musk angers the world by playing politics” web, Jan. 8).

I am worried about the talk of acquiring Greenland from Denmark, taking part of Panama and even annexing Canada. Meanwhile, Elon Musk is trying to redesign the politics of Britain and Germany via tweet.

Mr. Trump was elected on promises to fight inflation, help the economy and provide security. Starting wars with Denmark or Panama or trying to get the Canadians to sell us their country were not mentioned as campaign goals. These things would require astronomical government spending and near-permanent military entanglements — things Mr. Trump used to be strongly against. Our soldiers shouldn’t be pawns in a live-action game of Risk.

Maybe Mr. Trump is bluffing, joking, trash-talking or simply trying to keep people guessing, as he has before. He has the right to free speech. But with wars in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Yemen and Myanmar and natural disasters at home and abroad, maybe we don’t need more chaos right now.

Picking fights with our closest allies will help and legitimize our enemies. If the home of the free wants a worldwide land empire, why shouldn’t Russia conquer Eastern Europe or China envelop Taiwan?

I think the president-elect should get back to talking about fighting inflation and building industrial infrastructure — real ways to build America’s strength.

JOHN DZIAK