Issues: National Security
Maintaining national security is a prime goal of immediate importance. Insuring our country is secure from threat both from within and from without is a real need today. The task is complex and must be undertaken on many levels all at the same time if we are to be successful in the long term.
- Intelligence gathering must continue within the legal framework established years ago. Such information gathering must be completed in ways that allow basic freedoms of privacy to be maintained within the United States. Constitutional guarantees of privacy are paramount in any intelligence gathering activity and must not be forgotten or compromised in any fashion.
- An international network of intelligence officers is necessary for national security. This network may be rebuilt under the auspices of the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency). The network has been allowed to diminish in recent years. This course cannot be allowed to continue. Rebuilding the community of intelligence officers will take time, so we must begin posthaste.
- Domestic surveillance is a necessary part of any successful program of national security. This portion of the program must insure the protection of basic rights to privacy given to all American citizens by the Constitution. No person need be subject to any measure of search without reasonable suspicion of wrongdoing.
Poverty and Injustice Affect Our Security
Real national security will require more efforts than those included in intelligence gathering. We as a nation must work to solve the humanitarian issues of poverty and injustice that breed dissent and foster reactionary individuals (terrorists). Global poverty is an important part of this puzzle. While the issue may not be entirely resolved there are steps to be taken to lessen the effect on world populations.
- Educational opportunity for all is a basic step. An educated populace tends to foster better ideals and more cooperative peoples overall.
- Clean drinking water is a basic human need that should be a primary human right. Supplying enough potable water is an international issue and one which may attain greater importance in the future as we find more people needing water from smaller overall supplies. Delivery of water to various populations will require different methods. In some areas a simple well dug in the ground may sufficient for a time. Later filtration plants to provide larger quantities of water from polluted sources may be needed.
- Protection of constitutional and democratic rights as defined by the US Constitution and civil rights laws in the US, and economic opportunity for all who wish to work. By some means workers worldwide need to be given a share in the profits generated by their work. This may mean worker investment in the companies or higher wages funded by sales.
Bioterrorism
As a veterinarian, I am well aware of the risks of biological attack on our country. Veterinarians are trained to detect and to treat a variety of diseases which may affect both animals and humans. Our nation would be well-served by both increasing the number of veterinarians and increasing support for bioterrorism-related professional training courses for veterinarians. In addition, there should be increased support for programs that bring physicians, veterinarians, and other healthcare professionals together for study of and preparation for biological attacks on the nation.
The Failure of the Patriot Act and M.C.A.
National security was neither secured nor very much improved by the Patriot Act as it stands today. The act should be repealed or modified to insure privacy for American citizens while still allowing the government to gather necessary information for the intelligence community.
The Military Commissions Act (MCA) should be repealed immediately. The bill takes away basic Constitutional protections from the detainees held at Guantanamo Bay and other facilities around the world. The allowance of Presidential removal of the right of habeas corpus from any individual with the simple judgment the person is a "terrorist" is not acceptable in a democracy. Judicial proceedings may be put in place to insure the trial of any person suspected of terrorism while their Constitutional rights are preserved.
Preserving Freedom While Pursuing Security
The right of habeas corpus for all detainees and all citizens no matter if held on US soil or in foreign prisons must be restored posthaste. All who are detained in the name of the United States deserve the same rights of habeas as any American citizen if we are to remain an example of leadership and democracy.
We must take away the shackles of fear that have been put in place by the Bush administration. We are a strong and vibrant country but we are in danger of losing all our freedoms. We must bring back the values of humanity and caring that once made our country strong. We have so little to fear in reality.
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