Nikita Khrushchev during a 1960’s visit to the United States once stated that the Communists would bury us from within.
The common wisdom at the time was that Khrushchev was telling us that if they were patient, we would grow weak, lazy and indifferent. Even worse, we would become disillusioned with our government and willing to allow a coup to silently and gradually happen.
History shows that Khrushchev underestimated the resilience of the American People…at least for that time. It seems Capitalism won out over Communism not over ideology but rather cash. They simply ran out of it before we did. The USSR got bogged down in Afghanistan and ultimately was their “Waterloo.”
Are we on our way to a “Waterloo?”
Good question.
Joe McCarthy tried to convince everyone that there was a communist on every corner in the 1950’s. His story fell apart because of the courage of a few people to step forward and challenge. Some were media folks but the real heroes were the people who stepped up to the camera and told their stories. McCarthy’s house of cards feel because there was no basis of support.
In 2009, we face an enemy that has no face. An enemy that is not content to contain us but rather to conquer us. The extremists who are part of Al-Qaeda, Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood are established throughout the world including here.
Unfortunately, their best instrument to succeed are the very people here who are supposed to protect us.
It seems that our political system is so bogged down in finger pointing and partisanship that their draconian manner of conduct has infected the people they were elected to serve. Approval ratings for Congress are at the lowest point in history. There is no transparency in our bodies of government.
The federal agencies often have been co-opted by political correctness and political influence.
It is time that true bi-partisan efforts restore faith to the electorate. To hold the military and federal intelligence agencies accountable for their actions: both bad and good.
Congress needs to demonstrate unity. They need to tell the world that although we disagree internally, we are not gridlocked and we still serve the common good, not the common political advantage. It happened after 9/11 but quickly reverted back to back biting and bickering. We need officials with the political will and courage to step out and do the right thing for the right reasons.
There is a real threat out there, it is our complacency, indifference and lack of willingness to invest in our future. The real threat is not missiles or bombs, but the ability of those with the will to destroy our Republic through subtle election to our government and eventual change of our political will to do so from within.
It’s not the dark face of fear McCarthy tried to export for political gain. It is the shadow that lurks below the surface. Taking advantage every time we stumble or focus more on our self-serving interests, rather than the interests of all.
The irony is that Khrushchev might have been right. Only this time those intent on our demise won’t bang their shoe on a desk to command attention, they will wait and infiltrate and prey on our indifference and unwillingness to work together.
There are those in our intelligence and law enforcement communities who are tracking the threat levels and patterns of the extremists, most of whom are this country legally through visas and travel permits. They have been identified by our own government as having ties to terrorists links and organizations. Some have actually been tried and convicted but not deported.
Ironically they are students of Hitler and Mein Kampf. They believe that Jews and Christians must be eradicated. They believe that until the entire world is controlled by Muslim law, the Jihad must continue. The intent will be to instill the Sharia upon all who live on this planet.
We can only hope that some of the people in our government will be successful in educating and informing policy makers of these very real threats to our national security and the corrective actions will be taken. Acts of terror on our soil is only one prong of attack. The attack on our information systems, news outlets, financial systems and security are also at peril.
It’s time Congress paid attention to our experts in the field and provide them with the resources and assistance needed to meet this growing threat. Please watch carefully those in our government who begin to display ambivalence toward Israel or outright hostility. Hamas is a known terrorist group. Watch closely those in our government who would demand that we recognize or allow Hamas a place in government or negotiations with Israel.