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| Democrats offer national security strategy |
| 2006-03-30 |
| Democrats on Wednesday proposed a wide-ranging strategy for protecting Americans at home and abroad, an election-year effort aimed at changing public perception that Republicans are stronger on national security. Republicans, for their part, criticized the national security policy statement as a stunt. "We are uniting behind a national security agenda that is tough and smart, an agenda that will provide the real security President Bush has promised, but failed to deliver," Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said. His counterpart in the House, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Democrats were providing a fresh strategy - "one that is strong and smart, which understands the challenges America faces in a post 9/11 world, and one that demonstrates that Democrats are the party of real national security." They spoke at a news conference at Union Station, near the Capitol, in front of banners reading "Real Security." They were flanked by some of the Democratic Party's top authorities on national security, including retired Gen. Wesley Clark and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. In the strategy, Democrats vowed to provide U.S. agents with the resources to "eliminate" Osama bin Laden and ensure a "responsible redeployment of U.S. forces" from Iraq in 2006. They promised to rebuild the military, eliminate the United States' dependence on foreign oil by 2020 and implement the recommendations of the Sept. 11 commission. Those are many of the same proposals Democrats have offered before. Republicans refused to let Democrats portray themselves as stronger than them on the GOP's signature issue. "Their behavior has been totally inconsistent with what they're now promising to do," said Vice President Dick Cheney. Interviewed on Fox News' "Tony Snow Show," Cheney said he did not believe Democrats had a credible plan for tracking down bin Laden and that their plan to move U.S. forces out of Iraq this year "would be a strategic retreat." "It makes no sense at all to turn Iraq over to the terrorists," Cheney said. "We can succeed in Iraq, we can complete the mission." Indeed, the Democratic statement lacks specific details of a plan to capture bin Laden, the al-Qaida chief who has evaded U.S. forces in the more than four years since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. But Democrats suggest they will double the number of special forces and add more spies to increase the chances of finding al-Qaida's elusive leader. Democrats also do not set a deadline for when all of the 132,000 American troops now in Iraq should be withdrawn. They say: "We will ensure 2006 is a year of significant transition to full Iraqi sovereignty, with the Iraqis assuming primary responsibility for security and governing their country and with the responsible redeployment of U.S. forces." The latest in a series of party policy statements for 2006, the Democrats' national security platform comes seven months before voters decide who will control the House and Senate. Bush's job approval ratings are in the mid- to high-30s, and Democrats consistently have about a 10 percentage point lead over Republicans when people are asked who they want to see in control of Congress. With the public skeptical of the Iraq war and Republicans and Democrats alike questioning Bush's war policies, Democrats aim to force Republicans to distance themselves from the president on Iraq and national security or rubber-stamp what Democrats contend is a failed policy. Democratic strategists say their polling shows Democrats leading in all other areas - such as the economy, health care, education and retirement security - and having closed a gap in polls with Republicans on national security. For months, House and Senate Democrats have tried to craft a comprehensive position on national security, but they have splintered, primarily over Iraq. Republicans have sought to use that division to their own political advantage, claiming that Democrats simply attack the president and his fellow Republicans without presenting proposals of their own. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #11 The Democrats are behind a strong and smart plan for national security. Maybe. And maybe I'm a Chinese jet pilot. |
| Posted by: DMFD 2006-03-30 23:41 |
| #10 A plan that's "tough and smart" (Reid) and "strong and smart" (Pelosi). Almost sounds as if they're campaigning for Repubs doesn't it? Too bad they'll lose again, in my estimation. *snicker* Of course, maybe they could insert Pelosi, with her whip, into Waziristan and capture binny and crew. Or, insert the dimlight from Searchlight (Reid) there with her to help capture binny. CS nails it...it's their same song and dance, as always...just throw $$$ at it and that'll "fix" the problems. No details, just more money, folks. And, the whole Spec Ops thing is probably lunacy. It takes a lot of time, money and investment to get those guys where they are...not exactly something that'll happen overnight, even with unlimited $ thrown at it. Paint me skeptical on what they'd really do once in office too (to the military). |
| Posted by: BA 2006-03-30 11:56 |
| #9 Pander here, pander there, pander everywhere. These stratergeries sound very pie-in-the-sky if you ask me. Do they want to claim that Bush wouldn’t capture Bin Laden if he could? And other than putting more boots on the ground, what’s their plan? FYI the number of people on the ground is in direct proportion to the casualties (injured/dead). Also I don’t think (correct me if I misspeak) that you can simply double the number of special forces (Delta, Seals, etc). They are a select group among select people. Further, I don’t remember any Democrat ever saying we need more spies. Sound to me that their plan is simply to throw more $$$$$ at a problem and hope it will work out. Reid/Pelosi/Kerry: “Axis of stupidity.” |
| Posted by: Cyber Sarge 2006-03-30 10:39 |
| #8 Same as republican plan, but all credit goes to deminocrats and all criticism to republicans. Plan name will change to "Security for All Americans, not Just the Wealthy". |
| Posted by: wxjames 2006-03-30 09:18 |
| #7 Simple. They will ban your use of a private vehicle. There will be exemptions for special needs, such as Babs' private jet, etc. |
| Posted by: Jackal 2006-03-30 08:22 |
| #6 The Democratic plan. Or "How to loose a war in 30 days" And how the hell are they gonna reduce our dependance on oil when they are the ones blocking new drilling in the US? |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2006-03-30 08:10 |
| #5 Saw title and now I can't stop grinning in amusement. you can tell elections are coming up when Democrats start talking about National Security. |
| Posted by: Charles 2006-03-30 05:00 |
| #4 Democrats offer national security strategy House Democrats said "we will provided a fresh national security strategy - one that will make use of strong Steely Dans and will communicate with smart Vagina Monologues". |
| Posted by: Katrina vanden Heuvel 2006-03-30 01:34 |
| #3 DNC Stratagy in a single word: DHIMMITUDE |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2006-03-30 00:40 |
| #2 Was looking for a Scrappleface disclaimer. .. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2006-03-30 00:38 |
| #1 Reid: Reminds me of a toothless barking bloodhound. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2006-03-30 00:36 |