Bad policies make us more vulnerable to terrorists
From the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union until that crisp September morning of 2001, Americans lived without the specter of fear. Our sense of security was shattered on that day and our country has spent the better part of the past decade striving and fighting to restore what was lost.
While each day the American people grow a little stronger, build a little taller and heal a little deeper, a testament to our resilience and optimism, sadly our government is failing to do its part.
I fear that the risk of an attack on America today is greater than at any time since September 11. The warning signs are real. North Korea's cyber warfare, the horrific attacks in France and most recently the ISIS inspired terror plot in Ohio are all sober reminders of the real threat we face here at home. It is a predictable consequence of a feckless "lead from behind" foreign policy abroad and a shortsighted, misguided domestic policy at home.
That is why it is essential that Congress act today to reverse these dangerous policies.
It all begins with securing our borders. An unsecured border, coupled with the administration's failure to remove those overstaying their visas, is an invitation to disaster as ISIS has recruited thousands of radical fighters with Western citizenship and passports. An open border is tantamount to an invitation for ISIS or al-Qaida to send trained killers here. We need a comprehensive solution to immigration, but it starts with securing the border. Now!
While we reclaim our sovereign borders, we must also rebuild our military. Under President Obama, by some estimates the U.S. will have cut the military by almost a third. These cuts threaten to shrink the U.S. Army to pre-World War II levels. The Air Force is already at its lowest level since the service was created in 1947. My sons and all of America's sons and daughters who have put their lives on the line to protect our freedom deserve a force sufficient to meet the challenges we face globally.
We must also stop emptying out the prison cells at Gitmo. The President's shut down program for Guantanamo Bay has played out like a real life version of "Con Air," releasing psychopath terrorists back to the battlefield, where they plot and act to take more American lives.
Finally, we must open our eyes and confront the threat of extremist Islamic terrorists
Even as Obama refers to the Fort Hood massacre as "workplace violence," let us be clear that we are engaged in a war. Whether we admit it or not, radical Islam is at war with the United States and the West and all the values we hold dear. I saw firsthand the heartbreak and devastation of the attacks waged by al-Qaida on September 11. It must never happen again.
When you think of Al-Qaida recall, that the most sophisticated weapon they used in the attacks of September 11 were box-cutters. They were based in the most remote part of the world, in Afghanistan. They had virtually no money. And yet they were able to carry out the most horrific attacks on domestic soil in American history.
Compare that to ISIS, which by controlling territory and selling oil has amassed hundreds of millions of dollars. They don't live in caves; they have Internet capacity and use it to employ sophisticated social media campaigns to spread their propaganda. They are recruiting and have thousands of people with Western passports who can go back and, once in Western Europe, come to the United States without a visa. We cannot allow this cancer to linger and not expect it to come back and create negative consequences for us.
Their hatred is real, their savagery is documented and their capacity to wreak destruction is formidable. That is why we must fight ISIS where they are and not let them strike us here at home. We can't delude ourselves that the harsh realities of war can be reduced to a video game; drones alone won't do the job. That is why we must secure our border, strengthen our military and hunt down overseas those who plot, recruit, train and plan to attack us here.
We know that being passive only emboldens our enemies. But being reckless and acting beyond America's self -interests also has proven not to work. Transforming a feudal society into a modern day democracy, while noble in intent, is not America's mission. Nation building overseas is not an American endeavor and we have enough work to do at home. Instead we must focus action now on working with other nations who share our values to destroy those who pose a serious immediate threat to our safety and security, and then come home. There is no point in sending massive armies or spending a trillion dollars abroad. Let's simply destroy those who seek to kill us, where they are overseas before they attack us again at home.
America has the capacity to take on these challenges and no doubt the will to succeed. The American people will rise to the challenge as we always have from 1776 to today. Other nations will join this effort. The question is, do we have the leadership to inspire? It's time President Obama set aside party, politics and personal agenda. The red line has been crossed. Today, not tomorrow is the time to take the steps necessary to secure our safety at home.
George Pataki was the Republican governor of New York from 1995-2006. He practices law in New York City.
