My 5 point plan for securing America's safety

[leftupnorth]

Of course I can't and won't take credit for coming up with this all on my own. Many DUers and other blog influences have helped me shape this plan. It is still a work in progress, and any constructive criticism is welcomed. I tried to keep it short, but I couldn't help but add the commentary at the end.

Average voter: What is the Democratic strategy to keep us safe from terrorists?

Here's what I think it should be:

1. Begin measured withdraw from Iraq, redeploy to the periphery, so we can spare our soldiers the job of refereeing a civil war and free up resources for the real WOT. The recent terror plots and past bombings in Europe reinforce the Republican fallacy of fighting them there so we don't have to here. Al qaeda's ability to organize elaborate terror plots has obviously not been affected by the Republican strategy of stay the course with a blunt military force in Iraq. As the British recently demonstrated, a competent, well equipped police force is much more effective at stopping terror plots.

2. Take the offensive. Redouble efforts to recruit more special forces and human/criminal intelligence. This is the way to find and eliminate terrorists. Smart people, smart weapons, smart operations. The blunt force of a conventional army against conventional enemies is effective in conventional warfare, and we are excellent at that. This is not conventional war, so we need to recruit more arab and farsi linguists, human intel agents, and electronic intelligence people to decode and intercept terrorist communications and operations. Most importantly, take the politics out of intelligence.

3. A kind humanitarian American face is worth decades of diplomacy or centuries of wars. Therefore, we need to increase humanitarian efforts in the most poverty and disaster stricken areas at home and abroad. Look at Hezbollah in Lebanon, they provide humanitarian relief to people, who then support them even though they do not behave in a humanitarian fashion toward many others.

4. Talk to the world, for Pete's sake. Most importantly, talk to Syria, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia. Talk not only about terrorists in their own countries, but talk about encouraging a more open and "honest broker" relationship with the US. Increase diplomatic activity/pressure with Pakistan, root out terrorists in northern Pakistan, and finish the job in Afghanistan.

5. Here at home, make REAL progress on border and port security.(The anti-terrorist effort/border security segues nicely into employer enforcement to stem illegal hiring practices and protect American wages) 95% of cargo is still NOT checked for nuclear and biological threats. Cargo holds on planes are not checked. Our mass transit systems sit largely unprotected. Nuclear and Chemical plants have not been hardened or protected in any meaningful way.

Republicans seem to think that letting our sons and daughters die in Iraq is a substitute for doing all these things to protect America. In fact, the Iraq occupation is a hindrance to fighting the real war on terror. The Republican response to terrorism of occupying Iraq accomplished exactly what the terrorists wanted. Republicans tend to make the bad decisions that feed into the terrorist goals. They succumb to the fear the terrorists wish to invoke, and the bad decision to occupy Iraq is the manifestation of their fear. The Republicans overextended and demoralized our military in a quagmire in Iraq, ran up the national debt while extending tax cuts to the wealthy, infringed on the constitution, diminished our diplomatic power in the Middle East, and drove up the price of gas to $3 or more. Meanwhile our ports, nuclear power plants, chemical plants, bridges, cities, and mass transit systems sit unprotected. Remind me again why these guys are supposed to be strong on national defense...

In contrast, Democrats want to protect America not only with brawn, but with brains. We must not fall into the trap that terrorism sets for a free society. The terrorists want us to be scared into giving up our freedoms, they want to change our society, and damage our economy. We Democrats refuse to be afraid of terrorists and fall into their trap. We refuse to infringe on the constitutional liberties of our citizens in the name of security. We refuse to give tax cuts to the wealthy while we are at war. We vow to make this government get serious about securing America's freedom, safety, and economic survival. We vow to fight a smart, efficient, tough war on terror. We will renew the promise to our military that we will only place them in harm's way if it is absolutely necessary. Most importantly, we promise the American people that we will do our best to restore honor, integrity, and intelligence to our government.

Democrats want smart, competent government and meaningful action. If you agree, vote Democratic in November!

[pooja]

1. That's pretty good.... send it along up the chain... we need to

send this strategy up to MSM and democratic party. I totally agree. Politics do not belong in policing. Intelligence and technology to infiltrate will be more effective than sending in the whole calvary. At our borders and airports and harbors, we need official, military trained personel. We do not uneducated, semi-trained min- wage inspectors with wands and power trips. We cannot expect the coast guard to remain the only inspector of all harbors. They are stretched much too thin as it is. We need to invest in cargo checks that make sense. And we need to stop assuming that every American with a bottle of clinique face lotion is about to blow up the plane.

Let's start with assuming that most people are good and honest. Because most people are unless they are politicians... But most people in the world are good, nice, honest, and want to live without bombs and madness blowing up around them. Of course, this doesn't mean be naive... start with a smile, you will probably receive one back.

[BlueManDude]

2. Don't operate a cell phone within 50 feet of a curious object - per CNNn/t

[Dawgs]

3. Absolutely!!

I would also add legal eavesdropping through wiretaps. Obviously I'm advocating doing this only with a court ordered warrant; not like Bush's illegal way of doing it.

I don't think we can win with the American public if this is not added to your list.

[leftupnorth]

4. You're right, I didn't mention that specifically

but I did refer to infringement on the Constitution and adding more electronic intel in #2. I will alter #2 to better reflect that distinction.

Thanks for the input!