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see increased aggression from proxies of Iran.

Three U.S. Army reserve soldiers were killed in Jordan by a drone attributed to an Iran-backed militia in Iraq. As the daughter of an Air Force retiree, I find this particularly emotionally painful.

Ships are being attacked in the Gulf of Aden area by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.

And there was the horrible, savage attack on Israeli civilians on Oct. 7 by Iran-supported Hamas.

A backdrop to all of this is the conflict raging in Ukraine, the result of aggression by Russia.

The headline is that we have enemies, and these enemies are energized when they perceive the United States as weak and confused. There is a lot of rhetoric now about so-called “globalization” and “endless wars.”

Some call for a retreat inward by our nation and want to label international engagement as not “conservative.”

But it is just the opposite.

A conservative worldview recognizes there is truth and that for every right we claim there is a corresponding responsibility. The universal rights the founders of our nation claimed in our Declaration of Independence have corresponding universal responsibilities.

We must remember the quote attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville, “America is great because America is good. If America ever stops being good, it will stop being great.”

This does not mean that our nation should take on the impossible task of being the world’s policeman.

But as we saw, and too soon have forgotten, on the horrible day on Sept. 11, 2001, there are evil people in this world hostile to us who celebrate death to advance their own power.

Israelis saw it in the vicious Hamas attack last Oct. 7. When those who love to kill to advance their own power see Americans retreat, when they see demonstrations at America’s leading universities celebrating terrorism, who condemn those in our country and abroad who live free and responsible lives, so we encourage and empower evil.

As good retreats, evil advances. It is a natural truth.

Let’s not forget what is written at the memorial to the Korean War in Washington, D.C. “Freedom is not free.”

Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal and Education and host of the weekly television show “Cure America with Star Parker.” Her recent book, “What Is the CURE for America?” is available now. To find out more about Star Parker and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators. com. COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS. COM