Editor’s note: This month, the two major candidates for president or their representatives respond to a Denver Post request for their plans on tackling four major issues. Today, Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain outline their platforms on national security and Iraq.
This is a defining moment in our history. Our nation is at war. The global economy is in turmoil. If we are going to secure our country and keep the American promise alive for the next generation, we must come together in common purpose to face the threats of the future.
I am running for president of the United States to lead this country in a new direction. Instead of being distracted from the most pressing threats that we face through our overwhelming commitment to Iraq, I want to overcome them. Instead of pushing the entire burden of our foreign policy on to the brave men and women of our military, I want to use all elements of American power to keep us safe, prosperous, and free. Instead of alienating ourselves from the world, I want America to lead once again.
As president, I will pursue a tough, smart and principled national security strategy focused on five goals essential to making America safer: ending the war in Iraq responsibly; finishing the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban; securing all nuclear weapons and materials from terrorists and rogue states; achieving true energy security; and rebuilding our alliances to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
My opponent in this election has sacrificed much for his country. We honor that sacrifice. But if Senator McCain wants to have a debate about who has the temperament and judgment to serve as the next commander-in-chief, that’s a debate I’m ready to have.
For while Senator McCain was turning his sights to Iraq just days after 9/11, I stood up and opposed this war, knowing that it would distract us from the fight against al-Qaeda. When he said we could just “muddle through” in Afghanistan, I argued for more resources and more troops to finish the fight against the terrorists who actually attacked us on 9/11, and made it clear that we must take out Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants if we have them in our sights.
And today, as my call for a time frame to remove our troops from Iraq has been echoed by the Iraqi government — and even as we’re spending $10 billion a month in Iraq and the Iraqis sit on an $80 billion surplus while our economy is in crisis — Senator McCain stands alone in his stubborn refusal to end a misguided war.
For the sake of our security and our economy, it’s time to succeed in Iraq by asking Iraqis to take responsibility for their future. That’s why the first part of my plan is to bring the war in Iraq to a responsible end by safely redeploying our combat brigades out of Iraq, while restoring our military’s strength by increasing our ground forces. And I’ll always keep our sacred commitment to give our veterans the care and benefits they deserve when they come home.
The second goal of my new strategy will be taking the fight to al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the real central front in the war on terror. If another attack on our homeland comes, it will likely come from the same region where 9/11 was planned. It’s time to take the fight to bin Laden, and to increase our troops and resources to succeed in Afghanistan.
Third, we’ll secure all loose nuclear materials around the world within four years so that the world’s deadliest weapons don’t fall into the hands of terrorists. We cannot tolerate nuclear weapons in the hands of nations that support terror, and I will use all elements of American power, starting with tough, direct diplomacy, to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.
For the sake of our security, our economy and the future of our planet, my fourth goal is ending our dependence on Middle East oil within 10 years. We’ll invest in the next generation of alternative energy, creating entire new industries that put millions of Americans to work.
Finally, we’ll rebuild our alliances to meet the common threats of the 21st century. And we will let it be known to the world that the United States of America is ready to lead again.
For eight years, we have paid the price for a foreign policy that focuses on fighting a war without end in Iraq instead of forging a new strategy to face down the true threats of this new century. We cannot afford four more years of a strategy that is out of balance and out of step with this defining moment.
It falls to us to act again with the same sense of purpose as earlier generations. This must be the moment when we answer the call of history and show the world that at this moment, the United States of America is still the last, best hope of Earth.
