For Liberty and Justice We Fall

Since the end of World War II the United States has been seen, or at least seen itself, responsible for protecting the world as its sole policing force. After the Cold war, with the once great Russia no longer casting its threatening red shadow over the rest of the world, the United States, with its overwhelming military force and superior financial stability and prowess, was left without an enemy or common goal. The solution was to create freedom in third world countries; A goal made possible by our once seemingly endless economic success. Since discovering the basis of capitalistic freedom is a strong economy, the United States was not only able to create freedom and equality within its own borders, but also outside them. Now, as the U.S feels the draining effects of stabilizing freedom in other countries and experiences its own economic hardships, we face the same problem as the countries we once sought to help. The United States cannot finance the freedom of other countries if it cannot finance its own freedom.

Thankfully the problem of finding a common enemy was solved as we implemented our aggressive foreign policy and began to involve ourselves heavily in the business of the middle east. As we waved our flag and cried for freedom in such countries as Kuwait during the Gulf Wars, our country grew both economically and egotistically. But as we evolved, so did the rest of the world. No longer were wars fought with definitive sides and solid, visible enemies. They were now ghosts that would strike without warning, and just as quickly slip into the crevasses of the new battleground; cities. It was called terrorism, and after September 11th, 2001, the United States quickly vowed to take on this new threat, except that the U.S could never find the head of their new enemy. And this is where we find ourselves today.

Now consider this; we have yet to end this this "War on Terror". Just by stepping back for a moment and analyzing the title of this war we can predict the outcome. The definition of the word "terror" itself means "intense, sharp, overmastering fear." There is no possible way to combat fear with guns and bombs and uniformed men. And yet the American people are told that the current U.S occupation of Iraq is creating stability and laying the foundation of freedom. Freedom, which we pay for through our nose. As George W. Bush himself said on January first, 2001, "If we don't stop extending our troops all around the world in nation-building missions, then we're going to have a serious problem." The problem is that we have dug ourselves a hole, and five hundred eighty billion dollar hole, which we cannot climb out of. In fact, the tables have turned in regards to our war on terror. We, the people of the United States of America, are now living in a state of fear possibly greater than that of the Iraqis. Economically speaking, we have more to lose, and are on the verge of losing it all. It may true that most Americans do not understand or are ignorant of our current military situation all over the world, however we are very informed of our economic status, and are now living in economic fear.

For many weeks now there had been whispers of an economic recession in the media and government, but no government official was willing to come out and address the issue. They feared that if the truth was laid in front of the American people they would panic, and the news of a recession would have a domino effect. The solution; bide their time. This was possibly the worst plan since it dealt with neither issue of public reaction or economic stability. Then, on September 15th, Merril Lynch was sold after being denied government bailout. This was not the first event to set of the dreaded chain reaction, but it certainly was the straw that broke the camels back. The fallout has yet to be decided, many more financial giants are struggling to keep their heads above water, but the countries economic future looks dim. Combined with the fact that our government is in a trillion dollar deficit, and stuck in the money hole that is Iraq, we are looking at a good deal of financial hardships ahead. And now we are left to ask ourselves whether we can support our own freedom, let alone the freedom of another peoples.

Bound to our government through the chains we call taxes, the American peoples are either bound to two fates; become indentured servants to the government when unable to pay the in surmounting taxes, or watch our own state of democracy crumble as its base, the economy, implodes upon itself. Although these conclusions are slightly harsh and subject to bias, the truth as President Bush said himself is that we cannot continue our current nation-building mission. Simply put, we cannot support both another unstable countries' fledgling economy with a failing economy of our own. If we are to assume that freedom and equality, the backbone of Democracy, are dependent on a strong and prosperous economy, then as the economy fails so should Democracy. In order to stop this from becoming our own fate we must remove our military from Iraq, look at our own past to learn what can be done to avoid or dampen the effects of a depression, and elect a strong leader who can help us through these troubling times. Only then can our ideals of freedom, equality and democracy survive.