Taking stock of our national security By U.S. Senator Russ Feingold Milwaukee Journal Sentinel September 10, 2006 This week, Americans will observe the tragic anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001. Five years after that horrific attack on our country, as we honor those who lost their lives, we also must take stock of our national security. After 9-11, our top priority must be defeating the terrorists who attacked us and their allies. Unfortunately, the vast majority of our brave troops aren't fighting al-Qaida or other terrorist networks. They are in Iraq, a country that had no connection to the 9-11 attacks. Since 9-11, terrorist networks have developed new capabilities and found new sources of support throughout the world. We have seen terrorist attacks in India, Morocco, Turkey, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Spain, Great Britain and elsewhere. Renewed instability in Somalia has provided a haven for al-Qaida and threatens to destabilize the region, and resurgent Taliban forces are contributing to growing levels of instability in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the U.S. presence in Iraq is being used as a recruiting tool for terrorists from around the world. To get the fight against terrorism back on track, I have called for a timetable to redeploy our troops out of Iraq. Redeploying our large troop presence will allow Iraqis to take ownership of their own country, and allow the U.S. to refocus its resources on the threat posed by al-Qaida and other global terrorist networks. If Iraq is not, as the president claims, the central front in the fight against terrorism, then how do we go about beating the terrorists? We can start by repairing and improving our military's capacity to respond to future threats globally. That includes strengthening and increasing the number of special operations forces, which are specifically trained to fight terrorists. We must also improve the readiness of our National Guard, which has been strained to the breaking point with so many courageous Guard troops serving long tours of duty in Iraq. We must also recognize that fighting terrorism is not just a task for our military. The U.S. must work to eliminate terrorism with all of the tools at our disposal. We must counter increasing anti-American sentiment globally through better public diplomacy, improve our relations with Muslim communities worldwide, address weak and failed states that allow terrorists to operate with impunity, and provide better support for struggling democracies. Here at home, Congress has acted to improve domestic preparedness and readiness, but there is much more we must do to help protect Americans from the threat of terrorism on our own soil. We must strengthen the security of our ports. We must also finish the job of implementing the bipartisan Sept. 11 commission's recommendations, including improving border security, requiring checked bag and cargo screening and ensuring that all law enforcement and first responders are given the resources they need to serve our nation's communities in an emergency. As we fight terrorism at home and abroad, we also have to preserve the basic constitutional principles that make this battle worth fighting. That means following the rule of law, with Congress and the president working together to protect our Constitution as we protect the American people. For instance, the government can and should wiretap suspected terrorists in the U.S. and overseas, but we should do so without breaking the law, which requires court-approved warrants for domestic wiretaps in most cases. I am convinced that we can wage an effective fight against terrorism at home and abroad without giving up our basic freedoms. But to do that, we have to work together, across party lines, to protect our national security and uphold the rule of law. Five years after the tragic events of 9-11, the fight against terrorism has gotten off track, but Americans are still united in their resolve to protect our country and our freedoms. With this resolve we can move forward, dedicated to strengthening our national security and bound together by our faith in this great and free nation.