Are we allowed to publish this essay? AY 2011-2012I suspect my government will not do the right thing; I hope they protect me.National Security StudiesWILLIAM KURTZDANIEL P CORBIN, NH-4, DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVYSEMINAR 13KELLY MORRIS, PRIMARY FACULTY ADVISORThe Armed Forces Industrial CollegeNational Defense UniversityFort McNair, Washington, DC 20319-5062Opinions expressed in this material are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the National Defense University, the Department of Defense, or the United States Government. Introduction I distrust my government and firmly believe that, left to its own devices, it will not do the right thing. However, I believe more strongly in the system that authorizes me and my fellow citizens to control, influence, and remove this government, either by voting or by means otherwise envisioned by the Founding Fathers and implicitly granted by the Constitution. Based on this distrust, can they protect me? The United States has become the most powerful nation in the world by most recognized measures. The strength of this country comes from...... middle of paper ......tions that the President deems necessary for the defense and security of the nation. The theory of our government is that the will of the people should prevail over the power of the government; this is only appropriate if all participants know what they are doing. Overall, I believe the strengths outweigh the weaknesses. So can the government protect me? It can be done if I stay informed, engaged and active in government's pursuit of the right thing. Works Cited Aaron L. Friedberg, In the Shadow of the Garrison State: America's Anti-Statism and its Cold War Grand Strategy (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2000), 63. Clinton Rossiter, ed., The Federalist Papers (New York: New American Library, 2003), 546. Jerel A. Rosati and James A. Scott, The Politics of United States Foreign Policy (Boston: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2011) , 329-338.