Is the debt crisis a real crisis or a manufactured one?

The international community is astonished at what’s unfolding in the USA today. They view it as a self inflicted wound. Are they right?

Here are some facts to consider. Our debt is less than 100%(nominal) of our GDP. At the end of WWII, it was 1209% of GDP and we paid that debt down without any mention of crisis or defaulting. Many of us carry far more debt than that when we purchase our first home or borrow to get a college education. All the major bond agencies still have the US debt rated AAA. That is the highest bond rating available, only given to the most creditworthy of borrowers. It means we can borrow necessary money at the lowest possible interest. Granted it may be downgraded due to the impasse in Washington, but that only points to the truth it’s a self inflicted wound if that happens. Currently, the interest on US Treasury Bonds is 2.9%. That’s extremely low interest, indicating that bond buyers are confident that US Treasury Bonds are the next best thing to GOld, and yield interest which gold does not.

Isn’t this like a family haveing credit card debt and being perfectly able to pay it, even to begin paying it down, but deciding not to pay?