America's got problems — big problems

Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009

From our seemingly interminable wars in the Middle East to our recent health care firestorm, we are a nation beset by a litany of issues — and, perhaps, more disturbingly, fewer solutions.

President Obama has set aside the health care debate as his first domestic priority. Unfortunately for the president, an intransigent Republican party is determined to defeat any measures that would provide tangible health care reform — without providing said solutions to improve upon the current bill.

While the outrage over the nonexistent death-panels has subsided, myths and outright lies still permeate the fierce national debate, which seems to be cooling off. A resolute Obama has maintained that a bill will pass by Thanksgiving, but that, while ideal, appears unlikely at the moment.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, the president stares down a potential turning point in the war on terror. Do we withdraw troops to save face and, in effect, admit the futility of our efforts, or increase the "surge" (which has achieved modest success) in order to see out the mission?

The Iraqi and Afghani people, sadly inured to wartime violence, are (rightly) growing weary of American rule, yearning for basic self-determination. Still, with the Taliban ready to pounce at any moment, the region remains extremely volatile — and unsuitable for withdrawing our troops.

Last February, when things were a bit rosier in the region, President Obama declared that our combat mission in Iraq would end by Aug. 31, 2010. If that's actually going to happen, things need to get better. Fast.

And then there's Iran. Fresh off denying the Holocaust for the umpteenth time, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (who essentially rigged this summer's Iranian elections for his benefit) presents the U.S. with a dangerous nuclear threat. The stubborn dictator — er, president —seemed on the brink of cooperation with foreign powers, until his country's furtive nuclear facilities came to light at the United Nations late September.  The U.S. and its European allies will likely impose sanctions upon Iran, which are more symbolic than effectual means to rectify the situation.

However, aside from imposing sanctions, there is little else America can do to send a message to Tehran — aside from launching a military strike, which would be beyond the very last resort. Negotiations are back to square one.

It's not all bleak though.  America seems ready to emerge from the recession.

Jobs may actually be created in the next few months. We've been terror-free for eight years.

Still, dealing with all these problems — successfully or not — isn't cheap.

Our national debt now exceeds $11 trillion, but we must continue to prime the pump, lest the economy and our war efforts stutter again.

You'll often hear President Obama invoke the need for "bold and swift" action to remedy a particular issue. Let's hope he takes his own advice to tackle America's many and mighty problems.

Shaj Mathew, Huntingtown