NOT MORE THAN a couple months ago, I was in Santa Barbara visiting a friend, when he and I began discussing the Middle East over dinner. This friend, Eli, was in the middle of a semester abroad in Israel when the program’s sponsor, University of California, decided to call everyone back home when the violence turned into real war. After listening to his detailed descriptions of suicide bombers, homemade long range rockets, nuclear weapons, bio-chemical weapons and so on and so forth, I asked him, “Eli, can you give me any reason to believe that the world is not coming to an end within the next couple years?” He shrugged and was speechless.

And there we were, trying to understand or, yet, believe a little bit more of the world we now live in and face every day.

There are many things I’m still grappling with. First, foremost, and most significant: How can the entire world stand with the US on September 11th, 2001, and the following months, only to desert us a year later? Where is the rest of the world now that we, the US, needs them? Are they cowards? Or are we the “imperial monsters” that the rest of the world seems to think we are? Did we resurrect Europe after World War II only to have the continent turn its back on us when we, the US, need their support?

Who’s telling the truth and who’s spreading lies? Who can tell which is which anymore? During my semester abroad in London, England, I had to listen to professors “inform” the class that the United States is only waging war in Afghanistan to procure more oil.

I was also the “benefactor” of a lesson in which I was told that suicide bombers blow themselves up because they have no choice and they’ve been pushed too far. This lead to two possible conclusions: either the entire world has gone insane, or I have. However, I suspect the former is closer to the truth.

There’s too much propaganda out there, and too many “talking heads” trying to tell us all what to think. We all need to learn to trust ourselves and make an effort to understand where we get our information. Why should I take anyone seriously when they try to tell me that President Bush is only trying to fight this war to re-elect himself, when I suspect the root of that idea is to boost ratings for a television show or a congressman’s own re-election; or most shockingly, a mask of cowardice?

Ultimately, I believe, everyone must find his or her own truths, and I have found mine: the rest of the world has become afraid. The rest of the world, with the exception of Great Britain, is ignoring the problem, hoping to protect themselves from terrorism. Each country that turns its back on the US is only hoping to save their own “twin towers.” Isn’t one of life’s most important lessons as a child to learn that by closing your eyes or ignoring something does NOT make it go away?

Someone once said that ‘those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.’ What would the world look like now if all the nations in the world stopped Hitler and the Nazi’s before they started the Second World War and committed genocide? Why is the rest of the world ignoring the massive threat that Saddam Hussein, and terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and Hezbollah, pose to the entire world? Why can’t we learn from history?

I take solace in the fact that I believe in the greatness of the United States of America. We ARE the heroes of the 20th century, and we’re going to remind the world that we don’t intend to relinquish that title any time soon. I believe that we will make the world right again, because as history has shown, we are the only country that is willing to try.

I should laugh at myself for expecting Germany and France to “lace up their boots” and join us in battle-after all, I remember history. After the attacks of 9/11, every man, woman and child in this country wore their patriotism on their sleeves and sang the Star Spangled Banner from their hearts. It was unfortunate that it took those events to remind us all what a great country America is. My belief? God Bless America.