National Security
From Pete Ashdown Campaign Collaboration Wiki
Current American foreign policy is not winning the "hearts and minds" of the rest of the world. Returning the USA to an example of freedom and human rights will rekindle the light in our beacon. Clean water wells and mosquito-net programs are small, inexpensive ways to help developing countries. Paint an American flag on both of them and children will grow up revering the United States rather than fearing it.
Nuclear Proliferation is one of the gravest threats to the safety and stability of the world community. More steps need to be taken to ensure that the every gram of the rare materials for the construction of nuclear weapons, plutonium and highly enriched uranium, from the former Soviet Republics is accounted for. If that means that the United States needs to insinuate itself in the black markets and buy the material, then so be it.
Our "porous" borders need shoring up. Using the facilities of the Department of Defense to do so is one step in the process. Controlling all immigration under legal "guest-worker" programs is also essential. However we must not allow fear, whether of the unknown or originating from media or political spin, to let us close our borders or minds to the rest of the world.
Nearly 5 years into the war on terror and there is still a lack of Arabic speakers in intelligence agencies and the State department. USA Today reports that only 10 of 34,000 State Deparment employees are rated fully fluent in Arabic. (USA today Arabic speakers still scarce 2/12/2006 )
