Issues: National Security

I believe that our national security strategy should focus on what will best enhance the civil liberties, security, prosperity, and freedoms of all Americans. The Department of Defense currently possesses an extraordinary amount of conventional military power, which will be able to deter another conventional force from attacking the United States from land, sea, or air. Threats to our national security are much more likely to come as a domestic terrorist attack or a rogue bomb or missile. I continue to support robust funding for a national missile defense capability, and for increased intelligence capabilities to allow our federal, state, and local law enforcement to prevent a terrorist attack before it occurs.

We must win the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and prevent al Qaeda and other terrorist groups from having safe havens from which to conduct attacks on Americans at home or abroad. We must also ensure our borders are secure and ports are safeguarded to prevent terrorists from unknowingly entering our nation with a dirty bomb. In the struggle against terrorism and in our efforts to protect our nation, we must also be vigilant to not sacrifice the very rights, freedoms, and liberties we are fighting to preserve and protect.