National Security and Terrorism

I believe we must be open to addressing and adapting our strategy in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, I’m more committed than ever that we remain on the offensive when it comes to our global conflict with radical Islamists. We must remain diligent and steadfast in our pro-active response to these radicals who are intent on harming America. We should work to support the democratically elected governments of Iraq and Afghanistan for as long as we can and as long as these governments support our presence. At some point a popular referendum in these countries regarding our continued military presence may be appropriate. Such referendums should be undertaken on a schedule that is more reliant on the realities on the ground in these countries and not on the partisanship in Washington DC. At present, I do not favor a timetable for withdrawal but have developed confidence in the current military leadership shaping the direction of our policy in this conflict.