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National Defense
- Achieve victory in both Afghanistan and Iraq. Both are fronts in a global war against the RIF.
- Stay the course in Iraq. The surge is working.
- Implement phased withdrawal from Iraq based on success, not pre-planned timetables.
- Bring Osama Bin Laden to justice.
Keeping America safe and free must always be Washington's top priority. In the years since September 11, 2001, we have come to recognize that we are fighting a global war against Radical Islamic Fundamentalism (the RIF). This enemy is not a single nation, but a violent, radical worldview that has established a presence in every nation, including our own. Defeating this global, nebulous enemy will be the single greatest challenge of our time.
As we have come to better understand this enemy, we have improved our ability to defeat it. Because we lacked a complete understanding, we entered Iraq with enough troops to defeat the Republican Guard but with too few troops to combat sectarian violence and defeat the RIF. Armed with a better understanding of the enemy, we have been able to deploy the troops we need in order to finish the job. The surge is working.
We also now know we must fight many battles on many different fronts if we are going to defeat this enemy. I have always thought that the term, "War in Iraq," was a misnomer. Iraq is not a war in itself but a battle in a global war. Afghanistan is also a battle in this global war, and fighting to achieve victory in one battle by giving up another is poor strategy. Other secret and semi-secret battles are being fought right now around the world. There are battles here in the United States, in Europe, Pakistan, Chechnya, Palestine, and Indonesia, and in many other places.
The RIF must be confronted in all of these areas. To achieve victory we must not only employ the military force of the entire world, but we must also implement strategies that teach people the benefits of a free and democratic society. By fighting this global war militarily and politically and by refusing to accept defeat in any of its battles, we can overcome today's greatest challenge.
Further Reading:
Progress in Iraq: Facts and Analysis
The War on Terrorism: Afghanistan and the Taliban
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