During the Great Depression the U.S. economy fell into a slump of unemployment. Following the lead of the U.S., most of the rest of the industrialized nations also fell into a slump. Children are taught about it at school, how unimaginable the unemployment was and the widespread hunger and homelessness. Farmers were kicked off their properties because the price of crops fell, and the farmers could no longer make their bank payments. This is a story told again and again.

When joblessness in the United States in 1933, the unemployment rate peaked at close to twenty-five percent. This was the state of the U.S. in one of our darkest hours. As a history lesson, we cannot think of a sadder period of time; it has been one of the largest struggles the American people have had to endure. Even more amazing today is the state of Iraq, where, according to the Iraqi Minsitry of Social Affairs, the unemployment rate for the year 2007 is at forty-eight percent! How can the United States ignore these statistics? I feel that the answer to this is too simple. We as U.S. citizens cannot imagine these events as if they were happening here at home. The idea is too absurd to realize that this could be us. But what if it was? We would be outraged; we would start retaliating against our captors, our occupiers. I would never say that I am happy that people are dying, or being killed, but what would happen if someone came to the U.S. and occupied our country, killed our citizens, causing such astounding unemployment? We would fight back. I would fight back , no matter what the intention of the occupiers were.

We need to learn from our mistakes! We need to take our head out of the sand and help Iraq. Let Iraq be free from our gun and let's help its future with aid, food, water, and education.

References

"America in the Great War," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2000)

Kehoe, Timothy J. and Edward C. Prescott. Great Depressions of the Twentieth CenturyU LUV pITO Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, 2007

Iraqi Ministry of Social Affairs