America, it seems, has come to a crossroads. For the past eight years, the words, “uncertain times” have become a household catch phrase, reminding us of falling twin towers, natural disasters, never-ending wars, and economic crises that have been etched mercilessly into the American psyche, lacerating the dream of democratic prosperity with the sharp-edged dagger marks of chaos and confusion.
In the midst of economic downturn and fears of hurricanes and terrorist attacks, the political arena of this country has become hopelessly divided. We have seen the election of the first African-American president whose socio-economic policies and world views push the conservative right to the brink of outrage and dissent, while the liberal left continues to chastise the traditionalists, urging them to “reach across the aisle” and embrace the progressive trappings of what they deem as “change.” Accusations of narrow-mindedness and naivety are continually hurled at members of both political parties, serving to more clearly define the battle lines that have been created as each civic philosophy vies for power over the other.
In this current economic and political climate, four lines from W. B. Yeats’ “The Second Coming” come hauntingly to mind: “Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold;/Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,/The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere/The ceremony of innocence is drowned” (3-6). The center of American economic, political and social unity is rapidly imploding, while the innocence of America’s pluralistic genesis is being drowned by the poisonous sea of uncompromising ideologies.
It is hard to be optimistic in such times, and even harder to accept the fact that our nation may face much more turmoil before finally escaping from the abyss that has been created. Yes, the economy may continue to decline, unrelenting debates will continue to rage over which socio-economic policies will be the most effective to mend an ever-escalating financial crisis, and social/domestic viewpoints will continue to clash among the figureheads of government. However, we, as a nation, can be enlightened and reassured by one fact: we still fight, and die, to preserve our core ideals. So, in the midst of crisis and disunity, who represents this quintessentially American will to survive? Who bears the burden of preserving our freedom from the tyrannies that stand as freedom’s antithesis? On February 17 of this year, President Barack Obama, not even one month into his presidency, placed his signature on what is arguably the most solemn of all executive orders---the authorization of young men and women, representatives of American will and ideals, into harm’s way.
The purpose of this editorial is not to suggest that the wars the United States have waged serve to unite the civilian and political components of American life. To do so would be overly simplistic and a refutation of what history reveals to us. One need only look at our engagement in Iraq to see the sharp political divisions that have resulted from the conflict. This editorial also does not intend to glorify war, for war is one of the greatest human tragedies, rife with horrific chaos and oftentimes morally repugnant. Rather, its purpose is to take a broad look at our current struggle, viewing the war on terrorism through the prism of history and showcasing how it provides a beacon of unity amidst divisive turmoil. President Obama has taken the bi-partisan measure of ordering 21,000 more of our troops into a hotbed of violent extremism, diverting military resources from Iraq into the perilous regions of Afghanistan, and, possibly, across the border into Pakistan. As is well known, we have been engaged in this region for nearly eight years, with the origins of the conflict born out of the ashes of the World Trade Center and a field in Arlington, Pennsylvania. So, who is our enemy? Why do our men and women still fight and die there? How do the broader ramifications of this engagement serve to shape a united set of core American principles into a cause that President Obama assures us “cannot be more just?”
