And the United States does want peace. It is fighting not because it wants to, but because the terrorists declared war, even before the attacks of September 11. Islamic extremists have been fighting the international community since the 1970s. It took the world years and a devastating attack on U.S. soil to fully recognize this truth. I don’t blame those who failed to grasp it before September 11. But I do fault those who fail to understand it and the need for offense now.
Iraq and Afghanistan have become the central fronts in the terrorists’ campaign. Washington’s only strategy must be victory. In Iraq, victory means achieving a stable nation and U.S. ally in the global fight against terrorists. Setting an artificial timetable for U.S. withdrawal would be a terrible mistake. U.S. allies would conclude that Washington can’t or won’t back up its commitments with sustained action. America’s enemies would be emboldened. Failure in Iraq, in other words, could lead a broader and bloodier regional conflict in the near future.
The United States must also stand up against states, such as Iran, that sponsor terrorism, by expanding sanctions, encouraging divestment and making it clear such states will never be allowed to gain nuclear weapons.
Four broader principles will help the United States win the wider war. First, the U.S. intelligence community must be given the tools it requires to track down terrorists. The USA Patriot Act, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and other similar laws must be renewed and strengthened. Democrats in Congress can’t be allowed to play politics with U.S. national security. The intelligence community must be revitalized, reorganized and refocused on producing solid human intelligence on terrorist groups and their activities. It also needs to strengthen its relationships with U.S. allies. With the help of such partners, America has already successfully stopped no fewer than 14 attempted domestic terrorist attacks and 11 international plots against U.S. citizens since September 11.
Second, NATO should be expanded. In recent years, it has grown beyond its original mission, as shown by its role in Afghanistan. To build on this momentum, NATO should dedicate itself to confronting global threats to the international system, from territorial aggression to terrorism. Membership should be offered to any state that meets basic standards of good governance, military readiness and global responsibility, such as Australia, India, Israel, Singapore and Japan.
Third, the United States needs to expand its military. For too long, the U.S. armed services have been asked to do more with less. The notion that the end of the cold war would allow the United States to greatly cut its forces, paying a “peace dividend,” was a big mistake. Washington adopted peacetime levels of defense spending. Yet it is now fighting a global war and should act accordingly by reversing the cuts.
I’ve proposed adding at least 10 new combat brigades to the U.S. Army. As president, I’d expand the Navy to more than 300 ships, both to maintain its current role as a guarantor of seaborne commerce and to intercept possible weapons proliferation. I’d also ensure that the Air Force has the refueling tankers it needs, and I’d build a new long-range bomber to replace the aging B-52. I’ve proposed the creation of a new hybrid military-civilian Stability and Reconstruction Expeditionary Corps that would help failing nations and prevent the emergence of new terrorist safe havens. Iraq has shown that America must get better at winning the peace as well as the war; this new corps should make that possible.
Finally, the United States needs to start focusing on winning the war of ideas and strengthening America’s reputation around the world. America has a compelling case to make: its values of freedom and democracy have transformed the globe. But it needs to do a better job of communicating this message—not imposing ideas on others, but by appealing to their enlightened self-interest and extending to them the benefits of the global marketplace. The more trade and cultural exchanges the United States enjoys with other countries, the greater the likelihood that all sides will learn to understand each other.
America has successfully waged a war of ideas in the past. Through the Voice of America and “surrogate” stations like Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, the country spoke to the hopes and interests of people trapped in closed societies. It helped show them other possibilities. It encouraged critical thinking. And it helped undermine and delegitimize the top-down ideologies of repressive rulers. America helped oppressed peoples find their own way to freedom. And it can do so again.
I’m optimistic as I look to the future. I know America and its allies will defeat the terrorists. The 20th century showed that the world is safest when nations stand up to terrorists, tyrants and bullies. Together, we have learned that only principled strength can lead to realistic peace.
