“The terrorists will lose because they vastly miscalculate the spirit and strength of the American people.
We will not be intimidated by their barbarism.”
In the last century, America confronted fascism and ultranationalists in Europe. We defeated them. America confronted communism. We triumphed. Each of these challenges defined generations of Americans and brought freedom to millions around the world.
Terrorism and radical fundamentalism will be the challenge that defines this generation, and perhaps generations to come, for victory will not come easily or overnight. Nevertheless, we must respond as we have to fascism, communism, and other soul-crushing, liberty-snuffing movements, not just for the safety and benefit of Americans, but for the good of all mankind.
Seeing Through the “Fog of War”
June 14, 2006
“When I go out to Walter Reed Hospital to visit with our young men and women who are having new parts put on their bodies as a result of the explosions and the bombings in Iraq, I feel their spirit and their desire to continue to serve.
After I speak with them of the mission they're involved in, I come back to Capitol Hill more dedicated than ever to assure that these young men and women are allowed to continue to work to finish their mission.”
Like the soldiers before them, today's members of the armed services are risking everything to ensure the freedom and happiness of their fellow Americans. On a daily basis, they lay their lives on the line to face an unsure and dangerous future. Some of them pay the ultimate cost and remind us all that freedom is not free.
Near the end of 2004, Idahoans were called to the front of the line. Over 2,200 brave men and women of the Idaho National Guard's 116th Battalion began intensive training to sharpen their skills and improve their effectiveness and cohesiveness as a fighting unit. The deployment of the 116th to Iraq represented the largest mobilization of the Idaho National Guard since World War II.
I had the opportunity to visit our Guardsmen and women at Gowen Field in Boise as they departed for training, and again at Fort Polk as they prepared for combat. Fulfilling a promise I made to them during the Fort Polk visit, I led a Congressional delegation to see our troops in action in Iraq. More information about our visit, including photos, is provided below. You will also find a Photo File from an earlier trip to the region, as well as links to my press releases and editorials about our War on Terror and the emerging policies shaping our efforts.
First, however, I hope you will take a moment to watch or read my Tribute to the 116th Batallion, made on the Floor of the US Senate, and then learn what you can do to help support our troops.
Tribute to Idaho's 116th Serving in Iraq
November 10, 2005
The civilian soldiers of the Idaho National Guard 116th Brigade Combat Team have made tremendous sacrifices to defend our great nation and help build a stable and free Iraq. Learn more in a statement I made on the Floor of the United States Senate to express my gratitude and honor their exemplary service.
Info on Iraq
Some continue to question our involvement in Iraq and the war on terror. Let's be clear: The war in Iraq has not only eliminated a brutal, repressive regime, but it has led to significant gains worldwide in our fight against terrorism. Let the record speak for itself that the United State's aggressive approach against Saddam Hussein sent a clear message to regimes throughout the world to think twice before they engage in or support terrorist activities.
For the latest on progress in Iraq, please read the Republican Policy Committee's lastest reports.
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Visiting Our Troops: May, 2005
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Legendary Heroes
by US Senator Larry Craig
March 2, 2006
We continue to make progress in Iraq. At the same time, progress continues to be difficult. That has been the case throughout our time there. But Americans don't shirk a task because it seems tough, and I don't believe we'll start any time soon. Success will come, but only if we see the task through...
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Visiting Our Troops: October, 2003 
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In the face of a grave threat, the measure of a person - of a people - is not whether they feel fear, but how they live their lives in spite of it. What we saw on September 11 was a nation refusing to succumb to terror and chaos. Rescue workers rushed in to save victims; volunteers ran toward, not away from, the disaster sites to assist; citizens stood in line for the privilege of donating their very blood to those who needed it. Though terrorists thought this tragedy would destroy the American spirit, it has become a forge fire, tempering our steel resolve, only making us stronger.
“We write to express our profound disappointment that many important provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act will expire on December 31. We agree with the President that it is inexcusable for the Senate not to re-authorize this important law.”
-Letter to Senate Leadership from Senators Craig, Murkowski, Sununu, and Hagel,
December 19, 2005
Reviewing, Revising,
Renewing--
The Patriot Act
by US Senator Larry Craig
December 16, 2005
In the buildup to the Senate vote, my name has been thrown around quite a bit on the pages of the newspapers, because I made it known that I would not be supporting the conference report. Why not? While the bill does preserve important tools for law enforcement, it doesn't do enough to protect the civil liberties of innocent Americans...
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At the time the PATRIOT Act was enacted, it was timely, necessary, and evidence of Congress' commitment to national security. I voted for the PATRIOT Act. However, it was not a perfect bill. In the time since the act was voted upon, many provisions have come under scrutiny. I fought to rein in the powers of the Act without hamstringing our War on Terror.
Senate Floor Statements
“It is possible to fight terrorism without eroding the Constitution and the rights of Americans, and our bill is designed to restore that critical balance in the aggressive enforcement of our laws.”
-Senator Larry Craig
Security and Freedom Enhancement: Keeping the PATRIOT Act SAFE
It has become clear to me and many others that some adjustments must be made in order to protect the liberties of law-abiding individuals. In order to make these adjustments, I introduced the Security and Freedom Enhancement (SAFE) Act of 2005.
The SAFE Act makes a few narrowly-targeted adjustments to the PATRIOT Act, which are designed to preserve the rights of Americans without reducing the federal government's ability to fight the war on terrorism.
I originally introduced this legislation during last year's session of Congress. After further refinement of the enhancements it brings to the PATRIOT Act, I recently reintroduced the SAFE Act for consideration by the current session of Congress. The Senate's consideration of the SAFE Act is timely, as some provisions of the PATRIOT Act are set to expire at the end of 2005, and will require reauthorization by Congress in order to be extended.
Resources:
Press Releases:
- SAFE Act Co-sponsors Say PATRIOT Act Conference Report Unacceptable - November 16, 2005
- Patriot Act Bill Includes Reforms Proposed by Senators Durbin and Craig -- July 21, 2005
- Senators Seek to Mend, Not End, PATRIOT Act - June 9, 2005
- Craig to Reintroduce SAFE Act - April 5, 2005
You don't have to be a scout to know that being prepared is key if disaster should strike. Most Idahoans I talk with are used to dealing with a surprise blizzard or going without electricity during a severe thunderstorm. Our pioneering forefathers certainly didn't make it here without bringing along good, old-fashioned common sense. The trails today, however, can be a little more perilous, and it's more than bobcats and icestorms that threaten us.
Even though it is extremely unlikely you will ever need to know what to do in the advent of a tsunami or a volcanic eruption, and the likelihood of biological or chemical attacks may not be an issue where you live, that information is only a click away.
Vital Links:
- Emergencies & Disasters - US Department of Homeland Security
- Ready.gov - US Department of Homeland Security
- Are You Ready? A Citizen Guide - Federal Emergency Management Agency
- Terrorism—Preparing for the Unexpected - American Red Cross
- Disaster Services - American Red Cross
- Homeland Security - The White House
- Understanding the Homeland Security Advisory System - US Department of Homeland Security
- Trauma, Terrorism & Disaster - Access Idaho
- Idaho's Bureau of Homeland Security
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