Hanson: Fat Lady Hasn't Sung Yet For USA

Victor Davis Hanson has always been one of my favorite columnists. I think its partly because he is an historian and he is able to view current issues in light of historical perspectives.

In this essay from the National Review Online, Hanson reminds us that things have looked bad for America before but we have always pulled ourselves up by the bootstraps and held our place in the forefront of nations. He notes that we have serious problems today and that many commentators see China as our inevitable successor. But he also points out, that at other times of economic trouble, those same pundits thought that Germany or the Soviets or Japan or the EU would supplant the US. He also calls out our many strengths as a nation.

Here are two paragraphs:

"We forget sometimes that there are a host of small, vulnerable nations that apparently still assume that the United States, alone, can and will come to their aid. Without America, it is hard to see how Israel can survive, or that Kurdistan would ever have become autonomous, or that bankrupt and vulnerable Greece will have independence of action in a tough neighborhood, or that Taiwan will continue as we have known it. No one is talking about the defense of Europe as it implodes — apparently on the supposition that NATO is de facto American and will continue to protect the continent from outside threats and discourage historical tensions from within. The truth is that in the decades ahead, weak and vulnerable states will look to the U.S. military as never before.

A billion adolescents worldwide are growing up with Apple iPhones, iPods, and iPads; with Facebook accounts, Amazon online ordering, Google searches, and Walmart discount purchasing. These are not Russian, French, Chinese, or Japanese companies, but American inventions that uniquely appeal to the human desire for economy, ease of use, wide choice, informality, and transparency. No other country could have invented them — or the next generation to come. The idea of a Chinese-invented Google is a paradox, a Russian Facebook a joke, a Japanese-inspired Walmart impossible."

This is VDH at his best. He's telling that its too soon to throw in the towel. Its worth taking the time to read it all. Trust me, you'll feel a little better about our prospects.