On September 5, 2006, Senator Carper joined Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin, House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer, and General Wesley Clark to release a new report that documents how the world has become less safe under the Bush administration’s foreign policy.

The report, compiled by Third Way, a progressive policy group that Sen. Carper helped found two years ago, analyzes data across seven key national security indicators: Iraq, terrorism, Afghanistan, Iran, North Korea, China and the condition of the U.S. military.

The report, “The Neo Con: The Bush Defense Record by the Numbers,” finds that the policies of the Bush administration are not working and that we need a new direction in order make the United States and the world safer and more secure from terrorist threats and nuclear proliferation.

During his remarks at the press conference, Senator Carper urged the president to demonstrate his leadership by asking for input from both parties in the House and the Senate, as well as utilizing diplomacy to reach out to the international community and moderate Arab governments to help solve the problems facing us in Iraq and around the world.

According to the report:

Iraq: The number of average weekly attacks has risen steadily since the invasion and the estimated number of insurgents in Iraq has gone from 5,000 in 2003 to more than 20,000 in April 2006. Meanwhile, the quality of life for many Iraqis has plummeted, as fewer Iraqis today have access to electricity and safe drinking water than before the war. Meanwhile, the original cost estimates for the war were about $50 billion to $60 billion; today, it’s estimated to cost us 10 to 20 times that amount.

Afghanistan: The situation in Afghanistan continues to deteriorate. The data in the report show that the number of Taliban attacks has skyrocketed, from 22 in 2001-2003, to 251 in 2004-2006. Meanwhile, the country’s opium production has hit record highs, which only profits the Taliban and Afghani insurgents seeking to overthrow the government the United States put in place several years ago.

Iran and North Korea: Data shows that Iran’s nuclear program has made significant progress during President Bush’s term in office, while North Korea’s nuclear capabilities have skyrocketed. In 2001, it is estimated that North Korea may have had one nuclear weapon. Today, security experts are fairly certain they have between 3 and 9.