A number of the assumptions made in the article are wrong or at least off the mark. First of all, while there has been significant foreign investment in America, because that debt is denominated in our own currency we are not in the same situation as other debtor nations. It would be quite easy to marginally reduce the value of the dollar and significantly reduce (or payoff) that debt. The projected federal deficit of $500B is nothing to scoff at but it is not as serious a problem as some people believe. Indeed it is only 1/20th the size of out economy. We have had far far worse debt ratios in our past, particularly during WWII, and we always have paid it off with economic growth.

The manpower deficit is overblown. We could easily increase the size of our military in a few years w/o the draft by offering increased wages and benefits. There were blunders made by Bush/Rumsfeld in the manpower levels needed to pacify poet-war Iraq but I think the assumption that we don't have any help on the ground in Iraq is wrong. We have Iraqi help that is increasing constantly.

And the assumption we are going to cut and run is dead wrong. No matter who wins the white house next year we are in Iraq for the long haul no question about it. Even Dean might make campaign promises now about exit strategies but if he is elected he won't be so stupid as to leave until Iraq is a stable democracy. The whole assumption we destroy others but only rebuild ourselves flies in the face of history and current policy. I'm sure the Govenator would agree. :-)