How can I destroy thee? Let me count the ways...
Today's geopolitical landscape is a treacherous minefield of small groups with conflicting interests. Suicide bombers, hijacked airplanes, computer viruses, biological weapons, and disgruntled college students all pose great threats to the stability of our global society. To make matters worse, it is often difficult to figure out exactly who is attacking you and why. It's enough to make you long for the good ole days of the Cold War, a time when you knew who your adversary was and why they were out to get you.
Since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union, America has enjoyed a period of relatively anxiety-free living. It is only recently-with 9.11, the anthrax mailings, and the pipe bomber-that the U.S. has really had to worry about security. It wasn't always like that, though.
I am from a generation that grew up fearing nuclear attack by the Soviet Union. So frightened was I at one point in my childhood that I would stop at the sound of jet engines and look to see if I could make out a missile. In retrospect it was a foolish reaction, but the danger seemed so real at the time. At least
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