“Let every nation know … that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship … to ensure the survival and the success of liberty.”

These are the words of the great Democratic president John F. Kennedy, a man whose steadfast optimism and unfailing devotion to freedom inspired a fearful nation trapped amid a perilous cold war. Sadly, Kennedy’s words and his ideology are no longer even remotely identifiable with today’s Democratic Party. Instead, JFK’s Democratic heirs have fallen victim to the reflexive “blame America first” mentality, viewing America’s democratic freedoms as unworthy of the sacrifices in money and blood. This unfortunate reality has manifested itself in the recent debate over President George W. Bush’s call for $87 billion to fund the War on Terror.

As usual, the Democrats are weary of any prolonged military operation based solely on American interests that involves potential casualties and a significant financial commitment. As in Somalia, where the deaths of 18 American soldiers resulted in the complete withdrawal of U.S. forces by the Clinton Administration, today’s Democrats are advocating a “cut and run” exit strategy in Iraq. While the mission in Somalia centered more on humanitarian objectives, it nevertheless revealed that Democrats lacked the political will necessary to endure the inevitable hardships of war.

Today’s situation is the same. Democrats are unwilling to sacrifice either the human or financial resources crucial to ensuring America’s national security and success. President Bush and the Republicans realize “failure is not an option” in Iraqi reconstruction and have boldly requested additional financial resources for this effort.

The Democrats would rather risk the success of this pivotal mission to an “international peacekeeping force” under the command of their beloved United Nations and spend the $87 billion on already-bloated government transfer programs. Indeed, Sen. Ted Kennedy believes America’s success in Iraq should wait while we spend even more money on education and a prescription drug plan that will subsidize medicine for America’s most wealthy individuals, senior citizens (of whom 75 percent are already covered by private insurance programs).

These are the concerns typical of demagogic, big government liberals attempting to surreptitiously exchange government handouts for votes. However, this time they are compromising our national security in pursuit of their selfish motives. America cannot afford to let them prevail.

Not only do the American people deserve the $87 billion for their own security, so do our brave soldiers. By granting this money we will be assuring them that America will never again abandon their cause or lose its will to fight. Just as they “bear the price” on the battlefield, so, too, will we at home – by granting them whatever resources necessary for victory. To quote another great American president, we will ensure their sacrifices “will not have been in vain.”

-The writer, a freshman majoring in political science, is a Hatchet columnist.