Claire McCaskill: A Senator on OUR Side
NATIONAL SECURITY
Claire McCaskill has never shied away from taking on the special interests, and she has never feared asking the tough questions. In Washington, a lot of tough questions have been left unasked, from pre-war Iraq to post-invasion Iraq.
The Bush Administration and a weak-kneed Congress have not made us safer in a post 9/11 world. Too often our leaders passed off responsibility from the White House, to intelligence agencies to retired generals. Meanwhile, our homeland security has remained dangerously insecure and vulnerable to another terrorist attack.
Claire ran for the U.S. Senate because Missouri families deserve answers to the tough questions on national and homeland security. They deserve to feel safe. And they deserve leaders who are accountable for their decisions. With Claire McCaskill, our troops, our veterans and their families know they have a senator who is on their side.
Tough But Smart Foreign Policy
In the days after 9/11, this nation was united as it was after Pearl Harbor. The world bled for us and stood at our side. Our historic allies offered all possible aid. New allies in Asia and the Middle East emerged, all agreeing to support us in a war on terror. But that has changed. America was misled into a different war -- not against Al-qaeda. Instead we went to war with Iraq. Their Weapons of Mass Destruction were a threat to the world. We had a plan to destroy the terrorists. We were strong.
But there were no weapons of mass destruction. We did not have a plan to destroy the terrorists. We did not even have a plan to take care of Iraq. And now our strength has been compromised. The President and his administration have led us into a quagmire, alienated our allies, diminished our national morale, cost us billions of dollars, thousands of precious lives and maimed many thousands more. Even our nation's top military authorities have cited enormous mistakes, while this administration refuses to listen to them.
The past few years have left many Missourians wondering if our nation is using our military effectively. More than just military prowess, America needs a tough but smart foreign policy. Harry Truman realized that America could not act alone in resisting the spread of Communism. He helped build a coalition not merely of the willing, but a coalition of the necessary. Claire McCaskill believes America is in a similar position now. America alone cannot solely confront the spread of radical Islamic fundamentalism or stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons technology. Claire believes America can best tackle these problems when our nation is not only feared by enemies, but respected far and wide by many allies.
Iraq
In Iraq ongoing instability and rising insurgency have deep roots in their long, tortured history of sectarian and ethnic differences. The decision to invade Iraq without enough troops and the countless mistakes made by the Administration have left us with no easy solution.
Claire believes any solution must be a political one and must come from within Iraq, not from outside. We cannot impose democracy. Democracy only flourishes when people take responsibility for their own freedom and welfare. Iraqi leaders must take responsibility for their country and their people. The presence of U.S. troops may actually be slowing democratic growth by serving as a crutch to Iraq's interim leaders. Claire knows we cannot occupy Iraq indefinitely. We cannot train Iraqi police and military forces indefinitely. And we must tell the Iraqi leaders it is not our intent to remain indefinitely.
America must set the agenda for peace and stability in Iraq. In order to do so, Claire believes we must engage our traditional allies as well as the neighboring countries in the region who have an interest in a stable Iraq and an end to the conflict. Moving forward we must have a responsible strategy that is not "cut and run" or "stay the course." Changing the course is essential so that our national security cannot be held hostage to Iraq's inability to make the difficult political choices and compromises necessary to form a credible government.
We must establish benchmarks for the formation of a government. During the next two years, we need to transition to a multinational security force and redeploy our troops to best protect our long term national security interest. Such action should give the Iraqis the time to create a stable country.
Nuclear Proliferation
The greatest threats to our safety are weapons of mass destruction. The spread of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons must be stopped. Claire says there must be no uncertainty about that goal.
North Korea, has been stockpiling nuclear weapons without so much as a glance from the current administration. Iran may now be close to producing a nuclear bomb. We cannot allow them to go any further. We must talk to the North Koreans if we are ever to get them to renounce their weapons and allow a verification system to assure their compliance.
Iran's nuclear capability, however, can still be prevented. Unchecked, it will create a domino effect that will be felt throughout the Middle East. An immediate and complete moratorium on their enrichment processes is needed. And it must be non-negotiable. Together with our world allies, we can convince Iran of their own best interest, using the threat of economic sanctions and the promise of world trade and investment. Claire believes they need to know our talks, if unsuccessful, will be followed not by rhetoric and reprisal, but by the full strength and force of the American military.
Energy Independence
Claire believes achieving energy independence is a vital part of America's national security. Our dependence on foreign oil in the Middle East and other unsavory parts of the world jeopardizes our national security. Claire believes that the same American ingenuity which sent a man to the moon through the Apollo Project, can also make us energy independent by 2020.
While the Bush Administration heavily relies on fossil fuels and continuously funds ludicrous tax breaks for oil companies, Claire is working to increase the production of alternative fuels, including: ethanol, geothermal fuel cells, solar, wind, nuclear and new cleaner coal technologies. We also need to focus on conservation policies and enhance energy efficiency. Not only would energy independence enhance our national security, it would also boost Missouri's economy and provide quality jobs. [Read More]
Supporting our Men and Women in Uniform
The greatest weapon this country will ever produce is the American soldier. We have a fundamental obligation to equip and protect our troops. The strongest nation on the planet can accept no less. Our government has no greater responsibility.
Claire is a dedicated supporter of our men and women in uniform and is deeply disturbed by both the lack of attention to troops' needs and the President's proposed budget cuts to veterans programs. Our brave troops should never have to provide their own body armor, nor should we cut veterans healthcare by underfunding the Veteran's Administration.
Claire is working to ensure that our troops receive the quality health care that they deserve when they return home, sponsoring legislation to put an end to the conditions some of our troops have been forced to endure despite their sacrifices for our country.
Port Security
Claire strongly supports beefing up security at our nation's ports. She opposed allowing a United Arab Emirates company to run our nation's ports and believes we should invest more in our nation's homeland security. Currently, very few cargo containers are ever inspected, making it easy for a terrorist to smuggle in a dirty bomb. This current Administration and Congress has not placed a high enough priority on defending and protecting our homeland, which is why it earned failing grades from the 9/11 Commission.
Immigration
Eleven million illegal immigrants currently reside in the United States thanks to this Administration's failure to secure our borders. This Administration, with the help of the Republican Congress, has refused to enforce our current immigration laws and clearly did not prioritize immigration reform until an election year. Claire wants our laws to be enforced, our borders protected, and employers held accountable for hiring illegal immigrants.
