I would like to comment on this seemingly growing concern with North Korea.

I agree 100 percent that the U.S. and allies must have some concern about the growing saber-rattling of North Korea. If this concern would cause another Korean War, with all hope, this war must be fought for all of the right reasons.

With all due respect to President Bush’s administration, I believe the Iraq War and the current Afghan War were and are being fought for the purposes of nation building. I have heard enough from the news media and our government to know nation building is not supposed to be our job. Perhaps this is the main reason that we are not involved in the Syrian civil war. We, as a nation and a people, all believe in freedoms for ourselves and others, but the idea of nation building goes too far. Many of us believe that the U.S. and allies are not involved enough in this Syrian war. Our governments are moving cautiously because it is not clear as to what kind of government will emerge if the current Syrian government falls. It may very well be that the jury is still out for the governments of Iraq and Afghanistan, also.

In closing, I would like to pose this question. The brave U.S. troops are not scheduled to be completely out of Afghanistan until mid-to-late 2014. My question is: how long would it take if these brave troops were needed in Korea?

— Tim Bledsoe, North Augusta, S.C.