Financially Yes, Militarily No. This crisis will make US stronger as a nation, promote thrift, reduce debt, cut down waste, will bring back dignity to real labor.
I disagree. Most americans have no concept of "saving". You give someone a buck (raise), they'll spend 2. You lend someone a buck, they'll use it to for the first monthly payment in financing bling. It's been part of the culture for a long time. What is going to make americans all the sudden wake up and change? Recession, implosion of financial system? Even so, doubt behavior will drastically change. Maybe a smarter, less selfish, less me generation (our kids).