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Democrats Offer Tough and Smart Policies
to Win the War on Terror

Five years after September 11th, America is still not as safe as we could and should be. Despite years of tough talk and rhetoric, the Bush Administration and Washington Republicans have failed to learn the lesson of September 11th that rhetoric alone will not get the job done. Democrats are determined to provide the tools we need to develop the tough and smart policies that provide the Real Security the American people deserve.

Implement the 9/11 Commission Recommendations.

Five years after the September 11th attacks, Washington Republicans have still failed to implement the 9/11 Commission recommendations. Democrats will implement those recommendations by providing adequate resources for first responders, distributing homeland security funding based on risk, improving intelligence oversight, strengthening Congressional oversight of homeland security, strengthening public diplomacy and improving our tracking of nuclear weapon material.

Refocus on the War on Terror.

Learning the lesson of 9/11 means refocusing on the threat posed by radical Islamic fundamentalism. Democrats will work to increase our Special Operations forces to kill and capture the terrorists where they are and to better protect Americans here at home. Democrats will also improve efforts to effectively fight terrorism by working with our allies, reigning in the spread of nuclear material and improving our communication with the Islamic world.

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Protect Our Transportation Systems.

Democrats will work to protect Americans from terrorism here at home by improving our transportation security including our rails, ports, mass transit and aviation. Democrats will protect our ports by improving and increasing screenings, better assisting foreign ports, increasing security of containers and radiation screenings. Democrats will increase rail security by providing new technology upgrades, creating new grant programs and improving the tracking of hazardous materials.

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Equip Our Intelligence Community to Fight Against Terrorists.

For the first time in 28 years, the Republican Congress failed last year to pass an Intelligence Authorization act. Democrats know that it takes the most effective intelligence gathering and strong Congressional oversight to protect Americans from terrorism. Democrats will do the Congress's job by passing this crucial piece of legislation. It's time to give our intelligence community the tools they need to fight terror effectively.

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Change the Course in Iraq.

Democrats know that three years into a failed stay the course policy that has led American troops to be bogged down in Iraq, it is time for a change of course. Democrats are fighting to move in a new direction by beginning the redeployment of U.S. troops out of Iraq to face the terrorist threats around the world. Democrats will also finally provide the oversight that Republicans have failed to do to track the billions of dollars that have been wasted in Iraq in no-bid contracts, fraud and abuse.

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Provide Better Tools to Bring Terrorists to Justice.

Democrats want to do everything we can to defeat the terrorists, including those hiding here in the United States and helping terrorists overseas. Democrats believe we can best do that by following the law and the Constitution and will work to revise the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act as needed to ensure our intelligence agencies have the tools they need to defeat the terrorists. Five years after September 11th, not a single terrorist or detainee in Guantanamo Bay has been brought to justice because of the Bush administration's failure to listen to military lawyers and conduct trials in the right way. Democrats are committed to following the advice of our uniformed military leaders and creating a set of tough and smart rules that will lock up terrorists and respect our Constitution.

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