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Monday, Nov 9, 2009
The Democratic front-runner pledges that "addressing the threats of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction will be America's highest priority in my administration."
Dec 15, 2003 | In the past year, our campaign has gathered strength by offering leadership and ideas and also by listening to the American people. The American people have the power to make their voices heard and to change America's course for the better.
What are the people telling us? That a domestic policy centered on increasing the wealth of the wealthiest Americans, and ceding power to favored corporate campaign contributors, is a recipe for fiscal and economic disaster. That the strength of our nation depends on electing a president who will fight for jobs, education, and real healthcare for all Americans.
But the growing concerns of the American people are not limited to matters at home: They also are increasingly concerned that our country is squandering the opportunity to lead in the world in a way that will advance our values and interests and makes us more secure.
When it comes to our national security, we cannot afford to fail. Sept. 11 was neither the beginning of our showdown with violent extremists, nor its climax. It was a monumental wakeup call to the urgent challenges we face.
Today, I want to discuss these challenges. First I want to say a few words about events over the weekend. The capture of Saddam Hussein is good news for the Iraqi people and the world. Saddam was a brutal dictator who should be brought swiftly to justice for his crimes. His capture is a testament to the skill and courage of U.S. forces and intelligence personnel. They have risked their lives. Some of their comrades have given their lives.
All Americans should be grateful. I thank these outstanding men and women for their service and sacrifice.
I want to talk about Iraq in the context of all our security challenges ahead. Saddam's capture offers the Iraqi people, the United States, and the international community an opportunity to move ahead. But it is only an opportunity, not a guarantee.
Let me be clear: My position on the war has not changed.
The difficulties and tragedies we have faced in Iraq show that the administration launched the war in the wrong way, at the wrong time, with inadequate planning, insufficient help, and at unbelievable cost. An administration prepared to work with others in true partnership might have been able, if it found no alternative to Saddam's ouster, to then rebuild Iraq with far less cost and risk.
As our military commanders said, and the president acknowledged yesterday, the capture of Saddam does not end the difficulties from the aftermath of the administration's war to oust him. There is the continuing challenge of securing Iraq, protecting the safety of our personnel, and helping that country get on the path to stability. There is the need to repair our alliances and regain global support for American goals.
Nor, as the president also seemed to acknowledge yesterday, does Saddam's capture move us toward defeating enemies who pose an even greater danger: al-Qaida and its terrorist allies. And, nor, it seems, does Saturday's capture address the urgent need to halt the spread of weapons of mass destruction and the risk that terrorists will acquire them.
The capture of Saddam is a good thing, which I hope very much will help keep our soldiers safer. But the capture of Saddam has not made America safer.
Addressing these critical and interlocking threats, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction -- will be America's highest priority in my administration.
To meet these and other important security challenges, including Iraq, I will bring to bear all the instruments of power that will keep our citizens secure and our nation strong.
Empowered by the American people, I will work to restore:
The legitimacy that comes from the rule of law
The credibility that comes from telling the truth
The knowledge that comes from first-rate intelligence, undiluted by ideology
The strength that comes from robust alliances and vigorous diplomacy
And, of course, I will call on the most powerful armed forces the world has ever known to ensure the security of this nation.
I want to focus first on two ways we can strengthen the instruments of power so we can achieve all our national security goals. Then I want to lay out my plans for dealing with the central challenges I have identified: defeating global terrorism, curbing weapons of mass destruction.
First, we must strengthen our military and intelligence capabilities so we are best prepared to defend America and our interests.
When the cold war ended, Americans hoped our military's job would become simpler and smaller, but it has not.
During the past dozen years, I have supported U.S. military action to roll back Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, to halt ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, to stop Milosevic's campaign of terror in Kosovo, to oust the Taliban and al-Qaida from control in Afghanistan. As president, I will never hesitate to deploy our armed forces to defend our country and its allies, and to protect our national interests.
And, as president, I will renew America's commitment to the men and women who proudly serve our nation and to the critical missions they carry out.
That means ensuring that our troops have the best leadership, the best training, and the best equipment.
It means keeping promises about pay, living conditions, family benefits, and care for veterans so we honor our commitments and recruit and retain the best people.
It means putting our troops in harm's way only when the stakes warrant, when we plan soundly to cope with possible dangers, and when we level with the American people about the relevant facts.
It means exercising global leadership effectively to secure maximum support and cooperation from other nations, so that our troops do not bear unfair burdens in defeating the dangers to global peace.
It means ensuring that we have the right types of forces with the right capabilities to perform the missions that may lie ahead. I will expand our armed forces' capacity to meet the toughest challenges like defeating terrorism, countering weapons of mass destruction, and securing peace with robust special forces, improved military intelligence, and forces that are as ready and able to strengthen the peace as they are to succeed in combat.
