Ike was right

We have become a community of “dreadful fear and hate.”

He said that “In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.”

Had he seen the combination of military might and industrial scale government contracts engineered by the likes of Eric Prince of Blackwater he would have know America's adventure in free government was over and our basic purpose to keep the peace; to foster progress in human achievement, and to enhance liberty, dignity and integrity among people and among nations was a long gone dream.

We must never let the weight of this sort of combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.

We want democracy to survive for all generations to come, not to become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow.

Down the long lane of the history yet to be written America knows that this world of ours, ever growing smaller, must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect.