So often, history shows, individuals, businesses and countries have allowed themselves to slip into a pattern of behavior or actions without much awareness or concern only to wake up at a later date and find they are in serious trouble.
An individual may be putting on a few pounds every month or so and, before long, that person realizes he or she has been far too careless with eating and exercise habits and something needs to be done to lose weight. Otherwise, that person faces a potential serious health problem.
Likewise, people can become careless in their spending habits, perhaps failing to realize how charges are adding up and not thinking about paying off big debts along with hefty interest charges. It's doubtful whether anyone sets out deliberately to have to enter bankruptcy.
This same insidious lack of discipline takes place in most facets of our lives. Some individuals are able to maintain tight control of their actions and behaviors while others are careless and eventually find themselves in serious trouble.
At some time, those who find themselves in such a dangerous unpleasant, unhealthy situation usually ask themselves, "Why did I let this happen? Why didn't I realize what was happening before it became such a serious problem?"
Just as this kind of thing can happen to an individual, it also can happen to a government. A president can initiate a new action or policy that may be controversial but he thinks is timely and important to his country. Once the public accepts such actions, a president may find it easier and easier to repeat the initiative until it becomes accepted as a basic policy of the country.
Could this be happening with the use of U.S. military forces as policemen or "peacekeepers" throughout the world? American soldiers were sent to Haiti to try to maintain peace or a truce between those who supported and opposed the government. Soon after, Uncle Sam became a major player and architect for the use of American military forces along with those of other NATO nations, to try to bring peace to the small country of Bosnia. Next, it was Kosovo, with the U.S. supplying the majority of fighting equipment to bring the government of this tiny province or republic to its knees. Now, as in Bosnia, American troops are stationed in the republic of Yugoslavia for who knows how long.
In recent days, there has been talk about President Clinton ordering American troops to Indonesia to help stabilize a volatile situation in this important southwest Asian country.
Is there any place in the world today where Clinton would rule out the use of U.S. troops? Is there any clear-cut guideline for what justifies the deployment of American troops? Or is it merely a case of whenever the president wants to commit troops for whatever reason he can send the signal and Uncle Sam's forces and resources will be on their way?
Where is the line to be drawn on the U.S. assuming the role of the world's peacekeeper? How much right do we have to tell others in other parts of the world how they should live and how government should govern? Everyone around the world doesn't live in an environment such as the United States. Their histories and their systems of government are different. Can we expect every country to shape its "freedoms" to mirror those enjoyed by Americans?
What if people in a Russian region want to break off all ties with Moscow and be totally independent? If it is all right to enter the Bosnia/Kosovo situations, does this mean U.S. troops could be sent to help those in Russia achieve their freedom? How about in China or India or countries in South America or Africa?
Will members of Congress continue to rubber-stamp the use of U.S. troops around the world? Will the time ever come that these same lawmakers wake up and realize Uncle Sam may have overextended himself and now is looked to by those living in other parts of the world as having the responsibility of taking care of all their needs and wants?
Are U.S. citizens, taxpayers, ready to assume the role of the world's baby sitter? How long will it be before Americans start asking themselves, "How did we ever allow ourselves to get in this situation?"
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