In just a few days, people will celebrate the start of a newyear as well as bring an end to a tumultuous decade in the UnitedStates and around the world.

Although a contested presidential election preceded it in 2000,for many, any recollections of the current decade likely begin withthe tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001.

That day saw the biggest terrorist attack on United States soilas hijacked planes slammed into the World Trade Center towers inNew York and into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. Passengers on athird hijacked plane overcame the terrorists and caused it to crashin Pennsylvania before it could reach its destination.

In response to the attacks, millions united in a patrioticfervor as the Bush administration set out to capture thoseresponsible for the horrific event. While some terrorist leadershave been caught and are awaiting trial, the biggest target – Osamabin Laden – remains at large at the end of the decade andperiodically makes new threats against perceived Westerninfidels.

During another prong in the War on Terror, Saddam Hussein wastoppled from power in Iraq and later hanged. Despite that successand some progress made toward the democratization of the country,Iraq became an albatross around President George Bush’s neck asthousands of U.S. soldiers were killed and many others injuredduring the conflict.

Another failing for which Bush received much criticism – rightlyor wrongly – was the federal response to Hurricane Katrina inAugust 2005.

During the biggest natural disaster to strike the U.S., parts ofthe Mississippi Gulf Coast were obliterated after taking the bruntof the storm and New Orleans was flooded due to the failure ofmanmade levies surrounding the Crescent City.

Those who ignored warnings or were unable to evacuate struggledto survive in the days immediately following the devastating storm.Looting and anger, much of it caught by television cameras focusedon the suffering there, ruled the day in New Orleans.

Meanwhile, Mississippians “hitched up our britches,” as Gov.Haley Barbour famously said, and set about rebuilding and repairinglives and structures impacted by the great storm. Now, more thanfour years later, much recovery has taken place, but much morestill remains to be done.

Toward the end of the end of this decade, another catastrophe -this one of the economic variety – has griped the nation and indeedthe world.

Joblessness has reached double digits nationally for the firsttime in years, many automobile makers and financial institutionsneeded federal government assistance to avoid collapse and the U.S.deficit continues to soar seemingly unabated.

Against that backdrop, the United States elected our first blackpresident in the form of Barack Obama. His message of hope andchange resounded with voters who apparently sought a new directionfor the country.

As the decade comes to an end, how far the U.S. has traveled inthat new direction – and what impact the movement will have -remains to be seen.

In the name of providing insurance coverage to millions without,Democratic congressional leadership is on the cusp of enactinghealth care reform that some fear will bankrupt the country. Otherliberal legislation, including a possible cap-and-trade system toaddress so-called climate change concerns, also stands to have amajor impact on people’s pocketbooks in the future.

Changes from year to year, and in this case from decade todecade, are always causes for celebration as people look forward towhat the new has in store from them. The upcoming calendar turn isno different as, despite our many differences, the United Statesremains the greatest country on earth and opportunities stillabound for anyone willing to put forth the effort to succeed.

Happy New Year!