AMERICAN CONFIDENCE FINDS ITS RIGHTFUL PLACE

Much has been made in recent weeks about a war that ended almost 20 years ago. The phrase "Vietnam syndrome" has been bandied about of late, mostly in reference to its abrogation since the convincing military victory in the Persian Gulf. President Bush has said as much. Sen. John Danforth was in Cape Girardeau last week and made some interesting points on the subject. Like him, we agree the American people must be the ultimate arbiters of this question. We might bring to the discussion more optimism than the senator that the syndrome is being expelled.

In a speech to a civic club, Danforth defined the Vietnam syndrome as "a fear that everything is going to be messed up; a fear that we are all thumbs, especially in dealing with foreign affairs." The Missouri senator said he remained unsure about whether the country had come to grips with its pessimism. The pertinent question that has to be answered by the people of this nation, he pointed out, is: "How do we feel about America?"

That's a good question. War is a destructive, if sometimes necessary, exercise. It is painful to suggest that much good comes from it. Still, if silver linings are out there, one might be that America's decimation of Iraqi tyranny has led to a renewed U.S. confidence. Citizens here saw their country and countrymen making all the right moves, acting in a just fashion and doing the hard work that had to be done. This is in the best American tradition; we not only excuse the high morale that grows from such an endeavor, we celebrate it.

In the midst of celebration, America is not without its problems. Certainly, the inability of Congress to spend only as much as it collects is a major dilemma. The nation is struggling to solve the plight of its troubled financial institutions. America, fighting off an economic downturn domestically, is challenged by extraordinary competition on the world marketplace. There is plenty to do with the energies of this nation.

Sen. Danforth has properly raised the question: "How do we feel about America?" Our answer: we feel pretty good. We think most Americans, knowing there is a lot of work to be done, feel the same way.

Our call is not one for swaggering Americanism, but a summons to realization that this nation has been and can remain a pacesetter for the planet. The grand experiment of democracy has worked in the United States. As Americans, we are protectors of freedoms and certain values. We are capable of great things. The pride displayed because of that is not unfounded or misplaced. Let us hope that the syndromes cooked up for past mistakes do not linger. Let us hope that Americans continue to proclaim a national confidence that is rightfully theirs.