This article was co-authored with Kyle Spector, Policy Advisor for Third Way
When Republicans unveiled their "Pledge to America," they gave the country a worrisome glimpse of how they would govern if voted back into the majority. The national security portion of their plan (buried away on page 37 of the 45-page document) is full of small ideas that fail to address any of America's immediate security challenges. Rather than prove they can govern, Republicans who adhere to the "Pledge" will fail the threshold question of American politics: Can you keep the country safe?
The United States faces a set of serious and immediate national security challenges. We are in year nine of our effort to prevent Afghanistan from again become a terrorist safe haven. Yet Republicans suggest no policy ideas (or even support) for our efforts there. Al Qaeda remains focused on attacking the United States; however, neither the group nor Osama bin Laden merits a mention in the Republican plan. House Republicans are also silent on how to deal with homegrown terrorists, rated as the biggest threat to the United States by Bipartisan Policy Center's National Security Preparedness Group, the successor to the 9/11 Commission.
Though they include a cliché commitment to "support our troops," Republicans fail to provide any policies that would actually do so. Fighting two long term wars drove our all volunteer military towards the breaking point. For several years, the Army had to lower its admission standards, while promising young officers and senior noncommissioned officers left the force in historic numbers -- 58% of the West Point class of 2002 left active duty at the end of their initial obligation. Military equipment stores were depleted and the United States found itself, for the first time, without a rapid response unit on standby. While the withdrawal in Iraq has partially reduced these strains, the legacy of these issues remains. The Army also faces a mental health crisis that has seen active duty suicides triple since 2003 to 160 last year. Releasing their plan in the same week their colleagues in the Senate blocked passage of the Defense Authorization bill -- and the increase in pay and health care services it provided for servicemembers and their families -- Republican leadership missed an opportunity to provide concrete policies to address these issues.
Instead, Republicans offered small, political, short-sighted ideas that will do little to improve America's security. While they cite the continuing threat of attacks on the American homeland, their only policy suggestion is to improve visa paperwork processes. On Iran, they lack any alternative to current policy and offer simply the promise of congressional hearings to ensure sanctions (passed by a Democratic Congress and signed by President Obama) are properly enforced. They also remain strangely more interested in keeping America safe from the terrorists we already have in custody than in providing solutions on how to capture and kill more.
This agenda is strikingly small in comparison to the accomplishments of President Obama and the Democrats. The president refocused American efforts on Afghanistan, significantly increasing our military presence in an attempt to finally achieve our mission to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda and the terrorist threat. Since President Obama took office, the United States has stepped up its fight against terrorists, capturing or killing dozens of al Qaeda leaders and hundreds of al Qaeda extremists. Further, the Democratic Congress has strengthened America's military by increasing pay for troops in the field, providing them more time between deployments and putting new and better weapons into the battlefield.
The United States continues to face serious challenges to its security and needs serious policy recommendations, yet the Republicans treated national security as an afterthought. While this election is focused on the economy, 'Can you keep America safe?' has been a threshold question for voters. Fail it, and they reject you. This Republican plan fails to meet that bar by a wide margin.
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If any terrorist organization had any ideas about attempting a major attack on the U.S. they would have done so already but ...
Where's Mr. Cheney, has anyone seen or heard from him recently?
Altogether America's security situation is much worse than it was before we invaded Iraq, and no amount of blowing up Afghan and Pakistani families will do much to change that. The U.S. should cut its ridiculously large "defense'" budget in half, close most of its bases around the world, stop trying to be the global policeman and halt the gravy train of Pentagon spending. We would be a much stronger nation.
This is a life lesson war mongers just cannot get through their thick sculls.
Unfortunately us Libs do have the problem of taking an objective view of reality - rather than choosing to believe whatever it is that suits us.
It must be comforting to be a Republican and claim that Dem's are no good on national security, when the biggest recent fail was September 11, directly caused by the negligence of the Bush administration.
Reagan almost brought about world war 3 during the Able Archer exercises in 1983:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Able_Archer_83
I don't think being a hairs breadth away from causing the annhilation of the entire country should be considered competent in terms of national security.
As to terrorism, Reagon financed terrorism against civilians in Nicaragua and traded with Hezbolla. Reagan also was a big supporter of the Khmer rouge, and helped provide the funding to them after they were deposed, that allowed them to keep up their murder of Cambodian civilians from the comfort of camps across the border in Thailand.
Reagan also aided Saddam Hussein in his military build up and wars, and helped create the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan.
It looks like the country is still suffering for the mistakes of Reagan - don't you think?
Reagan, he was the master of reality. Never owned a horse in his life until the press started labeling him a cowboy. Took credit for the collapse of the Berlin wall when in reality it started when East German border guards began refusing to shoot fellow Germans, thus creating an exodus when word got out. Almost bankrupted this country with his trickle down economics. Tried to surpress the news that the US government had made an midnight emergency appeal to the world bank to keep operating. Prime Interest rates was at almost 12% . Distroyed job security for blue collar Americans by breaking unions thus began the outsourcing of American labor. We showed our military prowness by invading Panama and Graneda. By the time Reagan left office we had a record deficit , and began to slide into a recession. Might want to do more research of how well the government operated during his administration. There is more to being a great leader than puffing out your chest and calling everyone you don't like evil.
You can fool all the people some of the time. You can fool some of the people all of the time and those people are my audience.
Glenn Beck staff meeting April 3, 2009
"when the truth is found to be lies"
jefferson airplane
But, wait a minute. Haven't we heard this before? And haven't the republicans won with nothing but garbage before? Please, somebody suggest a good way to spin this to our advantage. And yes, it's true, but it still needs spin. Remember, the republican base is impervious to both truth and logic.
Shouldn't it be being debated on the floor of the Senate?
It is only due in 3 days.
oops they want to spout balance budget soundbites without ever having to produce a balanced budget
You can fool all the people some of the time. You can fool some of the people all of the time and those people are my audience.
Glenn Beck staff meeting April 3, 2009
"when the truth is found to be lies"
jefferson airplane