An election. . .for a sheriff
The world understands that American involvement is unavoidable. Whether it's saving Mexico from economic collapse, dissuading China from attacking Taiwan, mediating between India and Pakistan, or resolving the threat of North Korea's nuclear capability and Iran's incipient nuclear arsenal, the role of the United States is crucial.
But our greatest challenge remains terrorism, and it is distressingly complicated. The fanaticism that derives from a twisted apprehension of Islam is aggravated further by the Middle East's long history of autocracy and religious intolerance and by the yawning gulf between rich and poor. This, in turn, breeds resentment among the urbanized poor--from whose ranks the terrorists are increasingly drawn--and among the educated elite with no political place to go.
Given that our geography no longer protects us, we must be concerned with the survival of America as an open and free society as we seek to protect ourselves while preserving our liberties. This may not be universally popular; the balance between liberty and order will be contentious. But at the end of the day the election will be a test of our resolve, as it was for the citizens in High Noon, when Gary Cooper insisted on confronting the gunmen while the town cowered--and then, finally, cheered.
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