Economic hardship invariably has consequences that can dwarf the original impact of those troubles. With the U.S. already at war and facing an increasingly troubled world, it is probably not a good time to make large reductions to the defense budget. With the U.S. government carrying massively greater amounts of debt now as a result of the financial carnage of the past few months, there will be increased pressure to wring savings out of almost every element of government. However, given past experience in tough economic times, it would be wise for our new government to understand the dire need to maintain a strong national defense.