Defense

Global War on Terror:
On September 11, 2001, extremists committed to the destruction of the United States and our way
of life brought their violent ideology to American soil with attacks on the World Trade Center and
the Pentagon and a failed attack on the U.S. Capitol. These fanatics have not only struck the United
States, but also Spain, the United Kingdom, Indonesia, and, most recently, India. As a result, the
battlefield of this global conflict stretches from Iraq and Afghanistan, across Europe, and to the
United States.

This conflict is unlike previous wars our nation has fought. We face an enemy without borders, who
adheres to no international laws and who refuses to negotiate. If we lose our determination now
and ignore the pervasiveness of this threat, we will only pass on an even deadlier threat to future
generations. We must vigilantly avoid subscribing to the same intolerance and hatred which
consumes our enemies, but aggressively pursuing and thoroughly eliminating the terrorist threat is
our nation’s only option to preserve our way of life.

I fully support the efforts of our military personnel to carry out the difficult task of eliminating the
terrorist threat and helping the Iraqi and Afghani people secure and rebuild their countries. I remain
concerned about the impact that long deployments and dangerous conditions are having on
American soldiers. I will continue working with my colleagues in Congress to ensure the United
States military is provided with the resources it needs for protection and to improve the living
conditions of military troops.

Iraq War:
United States troops and Allied forces have made significant progress in a number of vitally
important areas in Iraq. After visiting Iraq in 2004 and 2008, I remain convinced that our nation
and military must finish the work we started there, but I believe it is time for the Iraqi government
to take control and lead the fight for its country’s freedom.

It is imperative that we provide our troops with the resources and equipment they need and deserve
while continuing to provide them with the flexibility they require to react to events on the ground,
avoiding arbitrary timelines and limitations that would tie the hands of our generals and our troops
on the ground.

At the same time, as we move forward in the War on Terrorism, Congress must dutifully serve its
oversight role. I remain ever mindful of the need to protect our Constitution and the freedoms that
it guarantees. We must not allow any event, tragic and horrible as it may be, to erode the very
freedoms that generations of Americans have given their lives to protect.


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