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BACK TO : The Bush Doctrine - Key Speeches & Analysis
George W. Bush Failing in War on Terror: Kerry Election Campaign 
Kerry Campaign: George W. Bush Failing in War on Terror 9/24/2004 11:49:00 AM To: National Desk, Political Reporter Contact: Mark Kitchens of Kerry-Edwards 2004, 202-464-2800;
WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Kerry-Edwards campaign today released the following, "George W. Bush is Failing in the War on Terror": Three years after 9/11, global terrorism is increasing and al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden still threaten America. George W. Bush has made crucial mistakes and the wrong choices in all aspects of the war on terror. It is clearly time to change course to keep America safe. -- Terrorism is on the Rise and Al Qaeda and Bin Laden Still Threaten America Global Terrorism is Increasing: Terrorist attacks increased from 2002 to 2003, and since 9/11 the number of terrorist incidents around the world has increased to the highest level in 20 years. ("2003 Patterns of Global Terrorism (amended)," U.S. Department of State) Thousands of Al Qaeda Militants are Operating Globally: There are an estimated 18,000 militants operating in 60 countries who have been trained by al Qaeda. Al Qaeda has cooperative relationships with at least 20 extremist groups in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. (CRS, 5/23/03; BBC, 5/25/04; 9/11 Commission Report, 7/22/04) Al Qaeda Regrouping and Strengthening: While the president has claimed that much of al Qaeda's leadership has been killed or captured, new evidence suggests that the organization is regenerating and bringing in new blood. (New York Times, 8/10/04) Bin Laden and Al Qaeda Still At Large and Plotting Against America: Senior administration officials admit that 3 years after 9/11, bin Laden and his chief lieutenants are directing al Qaeda to launch an attack in America this year. And Major General Eric Olson, the commanding general of Combined Joint Task Forces in Afghanistan, admits that the U.S. military has no idea where bin Laden or his top deputy Ayman al-Zawahri are. (New York Times, 7/9/04; AP, 9/11/04) Al Qaeda Has a U.S. Presence: According to U.S. law enforcement authorities, al Qaeda sleeper cells continue to recruit and operate in the United States. (Washington Times, 2/11/04) Al Qaeda is Adapting: Al Qaeda is developing more sophisticated communications systems to evade detection and terrorist groups now effectively use the Internet to get new recruits. (National Journal's Technology Daily, 3/22/04) -- Bush: CRUCIAL Mistakes in Every ASPECT of the War ON TERROR Military Gravest Error was Allowing bin Laden to Escape: Administration and military officials admit that failing to go after a cornered bin Laden was the "gravest error" in the war on terror. (Washington Post, 4/17/02) Bush Diverted Critical Resources in the Hunt for bin Laden to Iraq: Up to half of the intelligence and special forces hunting for bin Laden were diverted from Afghanistan to Iraq. (KnightRidder/Tribune News Service, 9/5/03) Bush Shifted $700 Million From Afghanistan to Iraq: In summer 2002, Bush shifted $700 million from supplemental funding for Afghanistan to "preparatory tasks" in the Persian Gulf region aimed at accommodating a massive U.S. troop deployment. (Washington Post, 4/18/04) Bush Diverted "the Perfect Weapon" From the Hunt for Bin Laden to Iraq: Bush removed nearly all the Predator UAVs from Afghanistan in early 2002. According to a Senior Senate Intelligence Committee member, pulling the "perfect weapon" from Afghanistan for Iraq undermined the war against al Qaeda in Afghanistan. (Graham, Intelligence Matters, pg.121) Afghanistan is on the Brink of Again Becoming a Terrorist Haven: The Administration neglected Afghanistan to the point where it is now in danger of again becoming a terrorist breeding ground. (United Nations Development Report, 3/30/04) Pakistan-Afghan Border Remains Key Sanctuary for Terrorists: Despite record levels of U.S. aid to Pakistan, the Bush administration has failed to secure more aggressive cooperation in tracking down terrorists. The Pakistan-Afghan border remains one of the world's major sanctuaries for terrorists. (CRS, "Removing Terrorist Sanctuaries," 8/10/04) Violence Against Americans in Afghanistan is Increasing: More than twice as many Americans have been killed in combat already in 2004 than in all of 2003. (icasualties.org) Drug Trade is Funding al Qaeda and the Taliban: Afghanistan now accounts for 75 percent of total world opium production and heroin-trafficking has become a principal source of funding for the Taliban and al-Qaeda terrorists. (TIME, 8/9/04) Intelligence Fewer Experienced Intelligence Agents Tracking bin Laden Now: The CIA has fewer experienced case officers hunting Osama bin Laden than it did on 9/11 and there has been no systematic effort to groom al Qaeda expertise among C.I.A. officers since then. (New York Times, 9/15/04) Bush Opposed 9-11 Commission: After opposing the 9/11 Commission and neglecting intelligence reform for over three years, the Bush administration introduced an intelligence reform plan that still falls short of the 9/11 Commission's recommendations. (New York Times, 9/17/04; ABC News, 9/20/02) Administration Ally Chalabi Reportedly Leaked Crucial Intelligence: Former administration confidant Ahmad Chalabi reportedly leaked to Iran -- the world's most active sponsor of terrorism -- that the U.S. had broken its secret intelligence code. (New York Times, 6/2/04) Administration Leak Ends Key CIA al Qaeda Sting Operation: In June 2004, the administration leaked the identity of an al Qaeda computer expert involved in a key undercover CIA sting operation -- which had led to the arrests of other terrorists -- while explaining the decision to raise the terror alert. (Washington Post, 8/10/04) Keeping Nuclear Weapons Away from Terrorists Failed Diplomacy as North Korea and Iran Advance Nuclear Weapons Programs: Failed diplomacy has allowed nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea to advance -- new intelligence reports show that North Korea may now have produced enough fuel to triple or quadruple its nuclear arsenal. (New York Times, 8/8/04, 8/27/04) Less Nuclear Material Secured After 9/11: The amount of nuclear material secured in the two years immediately following the 9/11 attacks was actually less than the amount secured in the two years immediately before the attacks. (Bunn and Wier, "Securing the Bomb," 2004) Failure to Provide Sufficient Funding: The Bush administration requested only a 2 percent increase in funding for WMD securing programs after 9/11. (Bunn and Wier, "Securing the Bomb," 2004) Cutting-off Financing Diplomatic Failure Leads to Delays in Shutting Down Key Source of Terrorist Financing: According to the 9/11 Commission, the administration's ineffective diplomacy and failure to share intelligence led to a lengthy delay in getting the Saudis to shut down Al Haramian, a charity that was a major source of terrorist funding. (9/11 Commission "Monograph on Terrorist Funding," 8/04) Administration Rejects Funding Increases: The administration refused a request by the IRS to increase investigators of terrorist financing by 50 percent to save $12 million in FY05. (New York Times, 3/31/04) Asset Seizures Slowing: Since 9/11, the United States and its international partners have seized $200 million in terrorist assets, but the seizure rate has dramatically slowed between 2002 and 2003. (U.S. Department of Treasury, "Progress on the war on terrorist funding," 9/11/03; New York Times, 12/12/03) Homeland Security Opposed Creation of Department of Homeland Security: Bush opposed creation of DHS, telling Congress that "there does not need to be a Cabinet-level Office of Homeland Security." (White House Press Briefing, 10/24/01) Bush Thinks Homeland Security is Not a Federal Responsibility: Despite obvious threats to our infrastructure, there is no national plan. Bush believes that safeguarding the nation's critical infrastructure is not even a federal responsibility. (GAO 01-3233; Steven Flynn, Foreign Affairs, September/October 2004) Insufficient Funding for Port Security: We can currently verify the contents of only 4 to 6 percent of the 21,000 containers that enter the United States every day -- yet we spend more in four days in Iraq than we have spent in the three years since 9/11 on protecting our commercial seaports. (M.R. Dismore, Chief Executive Port of Seattle, Washington Post, 9/17/04; Stephen Flynn, Meet the Press, 7/18/04) Failure to Secure Chemical Plants: There are 123 chemical plants that could threaten more than one million nearby residents, and 7,728 chemical plants where an attack could endanger more than 1,000 -- yet Bush decided in 2002 to drop chemical plant security regulations, a major victory for chemical manufacturers who have contributed at least $1.5 million to his campaigns. (Wall Street Journal, 8/20/04; America at Risk, 1/04) Air Cargo Still Not Screened for Explosives: Twenty-two percent of the nation's air cargo travels on passenger flights, and 2.8 million tons of cargo is transported by passenger planes annually -- yet the TSA continues to not screen air cargo for explosives. (GAO-04-285T, 11/20/03) Failure to Get Funds to First Responders: A U.S. Conference of Mayors report found that 76 percent of cities had not received critical infrastructure and first responder funding, the exact same number of cities that reported not receiving funding 5 months earlier. (U.S. Conference of Mayors, "Third Report to the Nation," 6/25/04) No Rail Security Strategy: More than 2 million rail cars and 500 train stations are used by millions of commuters in America each day -- yet DHS still lacks a strategy to defend the railways and the same day of the Madrid attacks the Bush Administration cut essential DHS funds (UPI, 11/01/01; TSA 7/15/04; GAO-03-435) Winning the War of Ideas Public Diplomacy in Shambles: U.S. public diplomacy is "worse than failing" according to a member of a White House-appointed advisory group on public diplomacy. Even Condoleezza Rice recently admitted the administration's public diplomacy efforts are disorganized. (Washington Post, 8/20/04) Weak Effort to Reach Out to the Middle East: One State Department official even went so far as calling Bush's Broader Middle East Democracy Initiative "feel-good mumbo jumbo," asking "If this is so important, where's the money?" (Washington Post, 8/20/04) America's Standing in the World Has Plummeted: With our NATO Allies: A majority of people polled in Germany, France, and Turkey -- and half of all Britons -- believe the Iraq war undermined the fight against terrorism. And Particularly in the Muslim World: Three years after 9/11, even in many moderate Muslim countries like Jordan and Morocco, Osama bin Laden is more popular than the United States of America. (Pew Global Attitudes Project, 3/16/04) Exchange Programs Declining: Long considered one of the most effective ways of bolstering a positive U.S. image abroad, international education exchange programs have decreased significantly under this administration. Visa applications are down nearly 24 percent since 2001, and international graduate school applications are down 32 percent since 2003. ("Foreign Students and Homeland Security: Issues and Answers," Heritage Foundation, 8/2/04) Rumsfeld: We Are Putting Little Effort into Long Term Plan: "With respect to global terrorism, the record since September 11th seems to be....We are having mixed results with Al Qaida....Today, we lack metrics to know if we are winning or losing the global war on terror. Are we capturing, killing or deterring and dissuading more terrorists every day than the madrassas and the radical clerics are recruiting, training and deploying against us?...The US is putting relatively little effort into a long-range plan...." (Internal DoD Memo, "Global War on Terrorism," Rumsfeld, 10/16/03; Reprinted in USA Today, 10/22/03) Denying Terrorist Sanctuaries Bush Has No Serious Failed States Strategy: While Bush's 2002 National Security Strategy states, "America is now threatened less by conquering states than we are by failing ones," -- the White House still must "match that rhetoric with action" for 31 countries that lack the capacity to stop terrorist groups from operating within their borders. (Bush National Security Strategy, 2002, Center for Global Development, "On the Brink," 5/04) 9/11 Commission: Much to be Done on Failed States: 9/11 Commission says much remains to be done to identify and prioritize actual or potential terrorist sanctuaries and that Bush needs a realistic strategy to keep possible terrorists insecure and on the run. (9/11 Commission Report, 7/22/04) Millennium Challenge Account Doesn't Help Failed States: George Bush's Millennium Challenge Account, which still hasn't distributed a single dollar and is only funded at 20 percent of the President's own funding estimates, won't help failed states because they don't have the institutional capacity to meet the benchmark criteria for receiving funding. (Washington Post, 9/8/04, Washington Post, 8/10/04, Final Report of the bi-partisan Commission on Post-Conflict Reconstruction, January 2003) Bush Policy Toward Saudi Arabia Hesitant and Sporadic: Bush's policy toward oil-rich Saudi Arabia has been marked by hesitancy and missteps for the kingdom's half-hearted efforts to crack down on those who practice and preach terror. (9/11 Commission, "Monograph on Terrorist Financing," 8/04) Epidemics Like HIV/AIDS Can Weaken States -- Bush cuts Global Fund Funding by 64 Percent: Bush's FY2005 budget cuts U.S. funding to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria by 64 percent to a meager $200 million. (Newsweek, 7/14/04) THE KERRY-EDWARDS PLAN: John Kerry's Plan for Winning the War on Terror The most important choices we face are about national security. And the most urgent national security challenge we face is the war against al Qaeda and likeminded terrorists around the world. John Kerry has a comprehensive strategy to win the war on terror and keep America safe. As president, he will: (1) destroy terrorist networks -- by transforming our military and reforming our intelligence services -- and prevent them from again taking root in Afghanistan; (2) prevent nuclear terrorism; (3) cut-off sources of terrorist financing; (4) protect the homeland by securing America's ports, borders, and critical infrastructure, enhancing chemical, nuclear, aviation and rail security, defending against bio-terrorism, and providing our first responders the resources they need; (5) use all elements of our national power to deny new terrorist recruits and havens and prevent terrorists from poisoning minds around the world; (6) support democracies in the Arab and Muslim world; and (7) restore alliances to combat terrorist networks across the globe. I. DESTROY TERRORIST NETWORKS. John Kerry has a stronger, smarter strategy for destroying the terrorists before they can attack us. He will: Direct Effective Use of Military Force to Destroy Terrorist Networks. Kerry will use military force to kill terrorists and destroy their networks. He will never cede our national security to any other nation or institution. Transform the Military to Meet Modern Threats. Kerry will ensure that our military is fully prepared to meet the new security challenges by: (1) expanding our active duty forces by 40,000 soldiers so that we have enough troops to take the fight to the terrorists wherever they are; (2) doubling America's Special Forces capability and increasing other specialized personnel who are trained and equipped to destroy terrorists; (3) completing the process of technological transformation; (4) redirecting the National Guard to assume homeland security as an additional mission; and (5) keeping faith with our veterans and military families. Reform our Intelligence Services to Prevent Terrorist Attacks. Kerry will act immediately on the 9-11 Commission recommendations and reform our intelligence services to better prevent terrorist attacks, including: (1) creating a National Intelligence Director with real control over personnel and budgets throughout the intelligence community; (2) reorganizing the intelligence community around issue-oriented task forces to maximize coordination and efficiency in addressing the greatest threats we face; (3) strengthening human intelligence by doubling the CIA's overseas clandestine personnel; and (4) ensuring an independent domestic intelligence capability within the FBI. Deny Sanctuary in Afghanistan. Afghanistan has become a forgotten front in the war on terror. Al Qaeda is regrouping and strengthening. Twice as many American soldiers have died in combat so far this year than in all of last year. John Kerry will ensure that America finishes the job we started in Afghanistan, and that the country receives the security, political, and economic resources it needs. He will: -- Expand NATO Beyond Kabul. As president, Kerry will exercise real leadership by getting NATO to accelerate the expansion of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) outside Kabul and commit to sustaining an expansion of its troops beyond the election period. -- Stop the Drug Trade. Poppy production has exploded over the past three years, fueling continued instability. Afghanistan now accounts for 75 percent of global opium production. To stop the booming drug trade, Kerry will, among other things, double counter-narcotics assistance and expedite the growth of an Afghan counter-narcotics force whose specific mandate is to track down and destroy Afghanistan's druglords as well as their drug infrastructure and drug processing facilities. -- Expedite the Warlord Disarmament and Reintegration Program. The presence of large warlord militias - with as many as 60,000 fighters across the country - is the principle cause of insecurity and a challenge to the authority of the Karzai government. Kerry will provide increased support -- including back-up military support where necessary -- to crucial disarmament and demobilization efforts. -- Improve Security Training. Only by strengthening Afghan security capabilities can Afghanistan be truly safe and secure. Kerry will strengthen critical security training initiatives, including bolstering support to the Afghan National Army and national police training programs. II. PREVENT NUCLEAR TERRORISM. John Kerry believes that preventing nuclear terrorism must be our primary national security priority. He will: -- Secure and Reduce Nuclear Stockpiles. Kerry's plan will safeguard existing stockpiles of nuclear weapons and materials in the former Soviet Union within four years, create an international partnership to establish and enforce an international standard for the safe custody of nuclear weapons and materials, safeguard nuclear materials at research reactors around the world, and reduce existing stockpiles of nuclear weapons and materials. -- Institute a Verifiable Global Ban on the Production of New Bomb Making Materials. A Kerry administration will end production of fissile materials for use in nuclear weapons through a Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty with real verification mechanisms. -- Lead an International Effort to End Nuclear Weapons Programs in North Korea and Iran. North Korea: While the administration has made no meaningful progress in negotiations over the past 18 months, North Korea has reportedly quadrupled its nuclear weapons capability. Kerry will work with our allies to reduce tensions and get the six-party talks with North Korea back on track. He will also be prepared to talk directly with the North Koreans because we should speak for ourselves when our security is at stake. And he will ensure that any final agreement leads to the verifiable and irreversible elimination of North Korea's nuclear weapons program and addresses the full range of issues of concern to us and our allies. Iran: For far too long, the Bush Administration has sat on the sidelines while Iran has advanced its nuclear program. America needs to lead because a nuclear armed Iran is unacceptable. John Kerry will make clear to Iran that America will lead an international effort to push for tough measures, including sanctions, if Iran does not comply with the IAEA resolution by permanently suspending its uranium enrichment program and provide verifiable assurances that it is not trying to develop nuclear weapons. -- Strengthen the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT). As president, Kerry will work to close the loophole in the NPT that allows countries to develop nuclear weapons capabilities under the guise of a civilian nuclear power program, and make adoption of the additional inspection protocol mandatory. III. CUT-OFF TERRORIST FINANCING. From his experience leading the Senate's BCCI investigation, John Kerry understands the importance of stopping the flow of illicit funds to terrorists. He will: (1) impose financial sanctions against any bank that fails to cooperate in the effort to control money laundering, and, if needed, against nations; (2) work with our allies and the World Bank and international financial institutions to shut down the financial pipeline to terrorists; (3) speak openly and plainly about Saudi shortcomings, and get tough with them when it comes to allowing financing of terrorism and spreading an anti-American ideology - there will be no sacred cows when it comes to protecting America; and (4) pursue a plan to make America independent of Mideast oil so that we can rely on our own innovation and ingenuity. IV. PROTECT THE HOMELAND. Americans deserve a stronger homeland security strategy that protects us from the threats we face. Kerry's comprehensive strategy addresses the critical security gaps that continue to remain after 4 years of ineffective leadership by George W. Bush. -- Secure America's Ports and Borders. Currently, the United States inspects only about 5 percent of the containers coming into our country. John Kerry supports a six-fold increase in critical initiatives to inspect cargo overseas and to subject companies that do not meet minimum security standards themselves to tougher inspection. Currently, these programs are woefully under-funded and do impose adequate barriers to terrorists seeking to attack America. He will work with our allies in Canada and Mexico as well as our other trade partners to coordinate our personnel and technology to create the Smart Borders necessary to keep commerce flowing while keeping terrorists out. And a Kerry administration will ensure that we create a single, effective, and integrated terrorist watch list that is accessible to everyone who needs it, including agents along our borders and the cops on our streets. -- Enhance Aviation. Kerry will implement explosives screening for airplane passengers and obtain the equipment needed to screen air cargo just as we screen passenger baggage. To achieve these goals, he will triple the current level of investment in the purchase and installation of explosive detection screening equipment. He will also ensure that our airports have the trained staff necessary to provide the strong and smarter security America deserves. -- Expand Rail and Subway Security. As president, John Kerry will make new investments of more than $2 billion to protect our mass transit systems and improve the security of our rail systems, including the purchase of more surveillance equipment and better fencing for high-risk areas. -- Secure America's Chemical Plants and Other Critical Infrastructure. John Kerry will require chemical plants to develop and implement security plans, including measures to use less dangerous chemicals where that is feasible. Kerry will ensure security at our nuclear plants, including adequate fencing and surveillance, as well as armed, trained, and competent security forces. Because 85 percent of our critical infrastructure is owned by the private sector, Kerry will lead the effort to establish the public-private partnerships necessary to devise security precautions that make sense. -- Defend against Bio-terrorism. Kerry will: (1) make the investments America's public health system needs to detect bioterrorist threats to our communities, and that our hospitals and emergency rooms need to contain bioterrorism; (2) improve the capability for our health system to develop and implement distribution plans for vaccines; (3) lead efforts to increase and improve our stockpiles of medicines; and (4) expedite development of new vaccines. -- Provide our First Responders the Resources they Need. America's first responders need the equipment and manpower to do the job right. Our local officials shouldn't have to choose between security and public education -- we can do better. To make our homeland security strategy more efficient, Kerry will bring the people on the front lines together to design the standard capabilities needed to respond to a terrorist attack. And he will work to get federal dollars to communities faster and more efficiently. V. DENY TERRORISTS SAFE HAVENS AND NEW RECRUITS. John Kerry knows that to win the war on terror, America must use all elements of national power to deny terrorists new havens and recruits and prevent terrorists from poisoning minds around the world. America must show that we are willing to use our economic power for the common good; to defeat abject poverty and disease that destroy lives and create failed states in every part of the world. Work to Prevent Weak and Failing States from Becoming Terrorist Havens. Kerry will work with our allies and the international community to develop comprehensive strategies to strengthen weak states and secure and rebuild failed states around the world. -- Strategically Target Assistance to Weak and Failed States. As president, Kerry will provide strategically focused assistance to weak and failed states to help them build democratic institutions, better secure their territories, and achieve broad-based economic development. Kerry will help them increase their capacity to meet the needs of their citizens for decent, basic education, basic health and disease prevention services and support the development of small and medium-size enterprises. -- Develop Rapid Response Capacity. John Kerry will develop an enlarged country-in-transition fund to enable the U.S. government to respond swiftly to crises and opportunities in weak and failed states. With our allies, we will also support initiatives to increase the capacity of developing countries and regional organizations such as the African Union and ASEAN to respond rapidly with peacekeeping force to prevent and resolve conflicts. The United States must provide the leadership needed for this effort to really succeed. -- Refocus Diplomatic, Intelligence and Other Assets on Failed States. The 2002 National Security Strategy stated: "America is now threatened less by conquering states than we are by failing ones." Yet the Bush administration's distribution of our diplomatic, intelligence and other assets does not reflect that. A Kerry administration will ensure that America has the best intelligence possible on weak and failed states. -- Share Burden with Allies and International Community. America cannot bear the burden of strengthening weak states and securing and rebuilding failed states around the world alone - our allies, regional powers and international institutions must also do their share. Kerry will rebuild our alliances and bring others in the international community together to address the risks that failed states pose to people all over the world. -- Lead a Global Education Initiative. Under a new Global Education Initiative, America will lead the world to provide universal basic education by 2015. It is critical that we not only seek to empower reformers to achieve quality public education through the Arab and Muslim world -- where a lack of funding has helped foster radical schools that teach hate -- but that we also support a global effort for free universal education throughout Africa and the developing world. Increasing education in poor nations -- especially for girls -- has been shown to be extremely effective in raising incomes, reducing infant mortality and preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. -- Cancel the Debt of the World's Poorest Countries. John Kerry supports wiping clean the debts of the world's most heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) that are reforming their economies and investing in their human capital. Debt relief will give them a fresh start to invest in health, education, and infrastructure. And Kerry will direct his Secretary of the Treasury to initiate negotiations with the Paris Club of Official Creditors, the World Bank, the IMF, and others with the goal of modifying the Enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative to provide substantially greater debt reduction to a broader set of poor countries. Kerry understands that debt cancellation should not come at the expense of future foreign aid flows to poor countries. -- Address Global Health Priorities. Epidemics can decimate societies and contribute to weak and failed states, which can become safe havens and recruiting grounds for terrorists and other criminal elements. John Kerry will invest more in health care infrastructure in weak and failing states, and dedicate greater attention and increased resources to training health care professionals and community health care workers. As president, Kerry will double the U.S. funding to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to $30 billion by 2008 and encourage other countries, corporations and foundations to do their share. And in a Kerry administration, global health policy will be driven by science instead of ideology. VI. SUPPORT DEMOCRACIES IN THE ARAB AND MUSLIM WORLD. We must support the development of free and democratic societies in the Arab and Muslim world to win the war of ideas. While countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Uzbekistan, have at times helped us in the hunt for individual terrorists, they have not always been good allies in turning back the terrorists' cause. In a Kerry administration, America will be clear with repressive governments in the region that we expect to see them change, not just for our sake but for their own survival. And Kerry will restore America's moral authority by leading by example and by promoting respect for the rule of law. -- Launch a Major Public Diplomacy Initiative. Kerry will lead a major initiative in public diplomacy to train a new generation of American scholars, diplomats, military officers, and democracy builders who understand the Arab and Muslim world, just as we built our knowledge of the Soviet empire during the Cold War. And Kerry will open diplomatic posts and invest in academic programs, scholarships and exchanges with the Muslim world so we can build better bridges and craft more effective policies. -- Convene a Summit to Increase Mutual Cooperation. As president, John Kerry will convene -- and attend -- a summit with European partners and leaders from the Muslim world to discuss how we can collectively work together to establish new programs aimed at increasing mutual understanding, economic growth, and the fight against terror. VII. RESTORE ALLIANCES TO COMBAT TERRORIST NETWORKS ACROSS THE GLOBE. Kerry will ensure that America always remains the world's paramount military power. He will also restore alliances to magnify our power, and increase intelligence and law enforcement coordination so that we can stop terrorists hidden around the world before they can strike at us. Paid for by Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. |