Mr. Guterres mistakes strength for malice. A house divided cannot stand, nor can a world governed by feckless agreement. Sometimes, power *must* be wielded to uphold the very principles international law claims to protect. Did we not fight a bloody war to uphold our own laws?

International law, a mere suggestion when vital interests of a sovereign nation are imperiled! The Union's strength, its very survival, rests upon its capacity to act decisively. Such constraints relegate national defense to the whims of foreign powers. The South's autonomy trumps external dictates!