Up To The (Foreign Policy) Challenge - By John Edwards

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UP TO THE CHALLENGE
By John Edwards

"Since the first responsibility of any government is to protect its citizens from harm, Washington must now do as much as possible to meet two overriding priorities: securing the American people at home and addressing both the immediate and long-term threats to our security abroad. Yet I worry that the Bush administration is failing to achieve both, neither doing what it takes to make the United States safe nor working hard enough to develop a comprehensive strategy for enhancing global security.

Let’s begin with homeland security, which is a vital part of any national security strategy. Thankfully, we have made real progress on airport security systems and have started a massive government reorganization to create the Department of Homeland Security. But we still don’t have the means to infiltrate terrorist organizations operating within the United States or adequate ways to stop terrorists or their weapons from getting through the holes in U.S. borders or ports. We still have not given police the proper training and equipment to protect bridges and tunnels. We still have not done enough to help the police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians on the front lines to help coordinate a response in the event of an attack. We still have not done nearly enough to encourage and help all Americans to play a part in making the country safer.

In short, today there is still no comprehensive strategy for domestic security. Up to now, the Bush administration has focused on racking up political achievements for itself rather than substantive achievements for U.S. security. And against all reason, the administration stubbornly clings to permanent tax cuts that will benefit mainly the top 1 percent of Americans while arguing that the government can’t afford vital measures to protect the American people.

A comprehensive approach to domestic security must include initiatives to find and track terrorists through better intelligence, to improve border security and target protection, and to do as much as possible to enhance domestic readiness. I have outlined proposals in each of these areas, and I believe acting on them must be an urgent priority.

Yet making the United States safe at home is only the first step—we also have to do much better to make the United States safe in the world. This effort means we have to meet at least three key challenges: eliminating the threat of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons; winning the war on terrorism; and promoting democracy and freedom around the world, especially in the Middle East."

More: http://www.foreignpolicy.com/issue_marapr_2003/JEessay.html

[patricia92243]

1. He needs to say over and over again that he will surround himself with....

the best advisors in the world.

Bush said this when confronted with his lack of experience and that was/is a very, very good answer.

[spooky3]

2. that is good advice, I think, though JRE has much more

experience than * had in 2000, and more importantly, JRE has a far better BRAIN and heart, than does *.

[KittyWampus]

3. Ah, But Now We See What Happens. Advisors Disagree & Quarrel.

There are power struggles.

Edwards has shown a lack of discrimination in having Shelton advising him.

And he believes Iraq is connected to 9/11.

Edwards seems to know a little bit about a lot of things with no real expertise in anything involved in being a Head of State.

Expertise being related to EXPERIENCE and detailed KNOWLEDGE.

Knowing just enough about issues so that you can spin questions isn't enough to be POTUS.

I hope to Heaven that Edwards talks about relying advisors the way Dean did. Kerry will bury him.

[sadiesworld]

4. I think that saying "he will surround himself with the best advisors"

WILL remind people of Bush and it is not a pretty camparison.

[leyton]

5. I think Edwards needs to move foreign policy into his message.

He always talks about Two Americas, which is incredibly effective. He always talks about his life story, which is also incredibly effective. But he needs to start talking about national security, because that's an important issue. The more he talks about it, I think, the more credibility he will have.

Edwards is an extremely intelligent man; as a trial lawyer, he read up on subject after subject and developed a command of every detail necessary to win his case. I think he's smart enough to be able to do the same thing with foreign policy. If he does this, and starts putting foreign policy into his message, he will be able to convince voters, because that is his best strength: communication.