Rules of War

There are some things countries are no longer allowed to do. Countries are not permitted invade their neighbors or block shipping lanes. They are not permitted to use chemical or biological weapons.

Wars can ignite between countries when countries invade their neighbors. Military actions ignite when countries block ocean shipping lanes.

World War I was ignited in 1914 when the Austro-Hungarian Empire invaded Serbia. The excuse was the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, but the real reason was their desire to sieze Serbia.

World War II was ignited in 1939 when Nazi Germany invaded Poland.

The Korean War was ignited in 1950 when North Korea invaded South Korea.

The Vietnam War was ignited in 1955 when North Vietnam invaded South Vietnam.

The Gulf War was ignited in 1990 when Iraq invaded Kuwait.

Islamic Terror Groups began to plan and execute terror attacks in Israel in 1948 and this is still going on in 2019.

These Terror Groups began to hijack and blow up commercial airliners in the 1970s. Terror Groups continued bombing airlines and buildings through the 1980s and 1990s. In 2001, Terrorists hijacked airliners and flew them into the Twin Towers in New York and the Pentagon in Washington DC.

The Afghan War began In 2001 to remove Terror Groups from Afghanistan with permission of the Afghan Government and this is still going on in 2019.

The Iraq War began in 2003 to replace Saddam Hussein and ended in 2011.

The Syrian War began in 2011 and is winding down in 2019. ISIS Terror Groups joined in this civil war and took territory in Syria and took back territory in Iraq.

African countries began to be invaded by Terror Groups in 2002 and they are still there using Muslim regions as bases and attacking other regions.

The Rules on Civil Wars remains open and unsettled. In the 1980s, the US intervened in civil wars to prevent Communist takeovers, but that ended even before the collapse of the USSR in 1989. The US view has been to allow the citizens of other countries to decide their own fate, even if it’s bad.

Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 after a vote by their citizens to leave Ukraine and join Russia. There was some grumbling, but no war.

Trade and sanctions have replaced war. We have imposed Tariffs on China and want them to stop stealing intellectual property and menacing their neighbors. We have sanctions on North Korea for threatening the region with nuclear weapons.  We have sanctions on Iran because of their nuclear weapons development effort and for funding Terror Groups.

Trade continues to be between neighbors and like-minded groups.  Serious trade exists to secure raw materials that are necessary. Countries continue to attempt to influence other countries.

The US is now increasing oil production to compete with the current oil exporting countries that include Iran and Russia.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader