Defense
Looking back on the years following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, we are reminded of the significance of that tragic day and how the world has changed.
The threats to our nation's security have multiplied since September 11th. After facing almost certain defeat, the Taliban insurgency has reasserted control in southern Afghanistan. Al-Qaeda has grown in strength by increasing its recruits, reconstituting its leadership and carrying out deadly attacks in Bali, Madrid and London. Iran and North Korea both have nuclear ambitions that pose a direct threat to international security. China's military, diplomatic and economic strength has only grown over the past decade and has set the country on a course to challenge the United States as a superpower.
Strong National Defense — Now more than ever, these growing threats speak to our country's need for a defense policy that meets the challenges posed by our enemies in the 21st century. I believe our defense policy starts with maintaining a strong military that can respond to national security threats wherever and whenever they occur. This means providing the men and women of the armed forces with the weapons and the tools they need to counter 21st century threats. However, this also means that we must be prudent about not spending our limited resources on expensive Cold War weapons systems that have limited applicability in the 21st century.
Supporting Our Troops — We need to make sure the men and women of the armed forces are ready and capable of defending the country at a moment's notice. Our military is being stretched thin by extended deployments and minimized dwell time, which many retired military leaders have warned will push our forces to the breaking point. To address this concern, I joined Senator Jim Webb (D-Va.) in cosponsoring legislation to ensure our brave men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan will receive equal time at home with their loved ones as they do in the battlefield. In the coming months, I will seek out more bipartisan ways to support our troops and to promote the health and stability of our armed forces.
Using Diplomacy — We also need a defense policy that is as smart as it is tough. We need to use all the tools in our arsenal to address security threats, and not rely on military strength alone to secure our homeland. A smart defense policy will require us to capitalize on our diplomatic power as much as our military power. I support the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, which call for a diplomatic offensive that will leverage Iraq's neighbors to cooperate in securing Iraq's borders to help quell the internal violence between Iraq's warring factions.
Only through a balanced approach can we find solutions to our greatest national security challenges. Keeping America safe from the wide range of threats we face is no small task. In the 110th Congress, I will continue to do whatever I can to make sure that America's defenses are ready to stop any threat to our national security.