I guess I am old, but I agree with the Canadian. What he says is true. I graduated in 70 and I can remember my fantastic history teacher in high school saying the same thing about the other countries paying their debt to us. One thing we seem to forget that helped put us in the financial bind we are in now, was 9/11. That ruined many people financially; causing other people to lose their jobs and it was done so quietly we didn't realize it because we were so distraught over the towers. What better way to get this country down is to attack its financial "towers". Another thing that has hurt our real estate market is the lenders who gave 125% loan to value . . .then when the poor seller tried to sell their homes, guess what . . .appraisals didn't come close . . .we did do some of it to ourselves, but we also have been taken gross advantage of. Osama Bin Laden was no dummy, he knew where to hit. Not trying to start a big debate here, this is just stuff I have observed and made my own opinion on.