Sen. John Edwards: Statement on Fighting Terrorism

John Edwards: Statement on Fighting Terrorism

For six years, George Bush has used the language "war on terrorism" to force through an ideological agenda that undermines our values and does nothing to undermine terrorism. The Bush "Global War on Terror Doctrine" is a political slogan - a political slogan that the president has used to stifle opposition to the biggest abuses and worst mistakes of his administration: Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, spying on Americans, torture. None of this has made us safer, and all of it has undermined American values and the perception of American values around the world.

In fact, by the Bush administration's own admission, we're less safe today. Terrorism is on the rise, the Taliban is resurgent, and al Qaeda is expanding across the Middle East and even into Europe. The administration's mismanagement of the war in Iraq and neglect of the situation in Afghanistan have turned both nations into breeding grounds for terrorists. There's been a 29 percent increase in worldwide terrorism from 2005 to 2006 according to this administration's own State Department. And the number of deaths due to terrorism has climbed 40 percent. That's an increase of 6,000 deaths for a terrible total of more than 20,000.

And this is actually the worst part of Bush's "War on Terror Doctrine": Not only is it a distraction from the real war of stopping terrorists, it's actually backfired. Today, we have more terrorists and fewer allies. And I want to say that again. Today, as a result of what George Bush has done, we have more terrorists and fewer allies. There was no group called "al Qaeda" in Iraq before this president's war in Iraq. But there was nearly global support for America in the period immediately following 9/11.

The Bush Terror Doctrine actually misunderstands the problem and fails to offer an effective long-term solution. This is not a war against a fixed enemy at specific locations that we can defeat just through a constant military operation. And because its origins are political and ideological, it leads to decisions imposed on the military that are sloppy, ill-defined and poorly focused, losing sight of the real mission, which is to protect Americans.

It is no wonder that so many generals and military experts and even leading Republicans have criticized this president's "War on Terror" approach. General Anthony Zinni has called it a counterproductive doctrine, and Admiral William Fallon, the president's Mideast commander, has instructed his staff to stop using the term "long war." And even former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has flatly told an interviewer - this is a quote - "It is not a war on terror," end quote, and said that the doctrine was one of his regrets.

We need a smart national security strategy to shut down terrorists, not a political strategy to shut down debate, which is what this president is engaged in. It actually doesn't help, by the way, that the Republican presidential candidates seem intent on trying to one-up each other to try to be a bigger, badder George Bush. They want to become George Bush on steroids. I hope they, and all the candidates, both Democratic and Republican, will direct their attention to offering real plans to stopping terrorists instead of just political rhetoric.

I want to talk for just a minute about my plan and what I think we need to do, and what I will do as commander in chief.

I'll strengthen our military so that we can better address the threat that is posed by terrorist groups to the United States. We're going to strengthen our force structure. I will hold regular conferences with my top military leadership so that their advice is not filtered through civilians - it comes directly to me, as president of the United States. And I will give back military professionals control over operational decisions, not have those operational decisions made by civilians.

Second, I recognize what our military commanders have already made clear: Military action is only one of the tools that should be used to fight terrorism. We have to supplant the lore of violent extremists with the hope of education, opportunity and prosperity. There are today thousands who are committed to violence. I fully recognize that. And they have to be stopped, wherever they are, using whatever means are available to us. But there are millions more who today are sitting on the fence. We have to offer them a hand to our side instead of a shove to the other side of that fence. I'll launch a global - a sweeping global - effort to provide education and fight poverty. Here in the United States, we'll create a 10,000-member-strong Marshall Corps, all to ensure that terrorism does not take root in weak and failing states, which is exactly what is happening in Iraq.

My strategy will actually put America on the offensive footing. We not only will go find terrorists where they are today, using every tool available to us - military, intelligence, work, and information gathered by our allies and alliances - but also, we're going to undermine the long-term forces of terrorism. We're going to fight terror-potential terrorists, those who are sitting on the fence toward us, toward opportunity and hope. And the way we're going to do it is America is going to lead an international effort that once again reestablishes America as a leader in the world.

I know that there are terrorists who mean us harm today, and they have to be stopped. To suggest otherwise is to do exactly what I have criticized the Bush administration of doing: to reduce the fight against terrorists to a bumper-sticker slogan and use it for political gains. Using fear as a wedge-issue may help win elections, but it will not protect Americans. For more than 200 years we have defeated our enemies though strength, through ideas, with confidence and with honor. To win the struggle against terror and uphold the greatness of America, we have to do the same. We have to come together and we have to cast fear aside.

ENDS

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