Russia's announcement that it has developed an intercontinental ballistic missile that makes the U.S. vulnerable should raise concerns for Americans. (See Article in the Guardian) The Russian government launched a test missile that hit its target 3400 miles from the launch site.


The Bush administration previously moved to install defensive missile interceptors in Poland and the Czech Republic. Putin says he saw the move as threatening to Russia, hence Russia's hastened efforts to build military might.


The deterioration of relations between the West and Russia is apparent. The real issue is not how America should respond to Putin and the implication that Russia is escalating the post cold war showdown between our countries. The real issue is that the United States is struggling to maintain its position as the leader of the free world because freedom is under attack around the globe.

Ronald Reagan came to power at a time when America suffered from a deep-seated malaise. He motivated Americans to rediscover the beauty of our country and the superiority of our form of government. He showed the world that the U.S. would not back down when confronted by the enemies of freedom. Until recently despots around the world feared the will of the U.S. and this fear caused them to keep their behavior in check.

Today, these despots seem to be increasingly ambivalent about the strength of the U.S. They seem to question the ability of Americans to persevere in any battle to further freedom. America needs to convince its enemies that it will not abandon the vulnerable. America must be willing to use economic and military power to defeat those who attempt to prevent people from exercising their natural rights to life and liberty.

The principle "Peace through Strength" remains true. If our enemies believe we will use our might to defeat them, we will be less likely to have to use it. As the doubts about our will grow, we find ourselves increasingly faced with skirmishes that require intervention. The result of our perceived weakness is a greater need to prove our strength.

The anti-administration partisan attacks coloring our President as incompetent should stop at the waters edge. Instead, the vitriol bleeds into and across the sea, feeding foreign governments that yearn for the downfall of America. Nancy Pelosi's international escapades demonstrate her failure to grasp the importance of the appearance of cohesion and her failure to respect the Constitutional roles of each branch of government: Her behavior diminishes the image of the United States.

Putin, Chavez, Ahmadinejad, al-Assad et al believe they will outlast us.

The constant media attention highlighting the internal struggle between the parties undermines the strength of our country in the eyes of our enemies. Congress must make a very public effort to show that while there are difference between the parties, there is a common bond that cannot be broken. No matter how different our means, the end is the same: Americans will stand together to protect and defend the sovereignty and the future of the United States.

As dictators and leaders of communist or socialist countries push to minimize freedom, Americans must remember we are the world's greatest hope.

The greatest threat to the security of the world is a weakened United States.