An Illusion of Peace

Indeed, the Cold War was the worst war that any American generation lived through. It may have had relatively few casualties, but its potential destruction surpassed anything imaginable. Perhaps the worst thing about this war was that it seemed to be successful in lulling the American people to sleep. For the first time, our country realized that it could conduct a war, while carrying on a somewhat normal life. No real sacrifice was required of the people, and therefore, the war was not felt, not fought, not understood by the vast majority of Americans.

Perhaps one who understood better than most Americans was the British songwriter, Sting, when he said that the greatest hope for Americans was "if the Russians love their children too." These words may have new life today, as roadside bombs have become our new nukes. What happens when nukes fall into the wrong hands? There will be no protection for us then - us who could not sacrifice our normalcy, with tomorrow's tragedy around the corner.