A New Direction for Real Security: The Democratic Plan to Protect America

War in Iraq

Democratic Real Security Plan: 

• Reclaim American leadership with a tough, smart plan to transform failed Bush Administration policies in Iraq and the Middle East.
• Require the Iraqis to take responsibility for their country and begin the phased redeployment of US forces from Iraq in 2006. 

Republican Security Failures:

• Rushed to war in Iraq on manipulated intelligence with no realistic plan to win the peace.
• Have failed to provide a strategy to stabilize Iraq or to begin responsible redeployment of our troops. 

War on Terrorism and WMD

Democratic Real Security Plan:

• Double the size of Special Forces to destroy Osama Bin Laden and terrorist networks like al Qaeda.  
• Secure by 2010 loose nuclear materials that terrorists could use to build nuclear weapons.
• Redouble our efforts to stop nuclear weapons development in North Korea and Iran.

Republican Security Failures:

• Have failed to capture Osama Bin Laden or to destroy al Qaeda.
• Have proposed cutting funding for the program that is designed to secure loose nuclear materials.
• North Korea has reportedly quadrupled its nuclear arsenal and Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons.

Military & Veterans  

Democratic Real Security Plan:

• Rebuild a state-of-the-art military able to project power wherever necessary.
• Guarantee our troops the equipment they need and fully man and train the National Guard.
• Enact a 21st century GI Bill of Rights to fully fund veterans’ health care and benefits.

Republican Security Failures:

• Have strained the U.S. military, resulting in the lowest level of readiness for U.S.-based troops.
• Sent troops into Iraq without adequate body armor and attempted to cut the National Guard.
• Have prevented one million new veterans from enrolling in the VA health care system.    

Homeland Security

Democratic Real Security Plan:

• Implement all of the bipartisan 9/11 Commission recommendations to secure America’s borders and ports and screen 100% of containers.
• Fully man, train and equip our police, firefighters, and other first responders.

Republican Security Failures:

• The bipartisan 9/11 Commission recently gave the Bush Administration several failing grades.
• The equipment, communications, training and staffing needs of first responders are still unmet.

Energy Security

Democratic Real Security Plan:

• Free America from dependence on Middle East oil in 10 years, by increasing development of domestic alternative fuels and funding R&D; in new energy technologies.

Republican Security Failures:

• Under President Bush, America’s dependence on foreign oil has increased to 60 percent, and the price of oil has tripled to over $70 a barrel.
  

“ It is time for truth, the ground truth, about what is actually happening in Iraq, the ground truth about what we are doing about terrorism, and the trust that the American people must have in our country. We have a reputation that we must enjoy in the world in order to keep the American people safe, in order to promote freedom around the world. ”

- Leader Nancy Pelosi