Kerry Press Release: Defeating Terrorism and Protecting America

[Skinner]

For Immediate Release

July 22, 2004

John Kerry and John Edwards: Defeating Terrorism and Protecting America

John Kerry and John Edwards have a comprehensive strategy to win the war on terror and protect our homeland. Their top national security priority will be preventing terrorists from getting weapons of mass destruction. They will transform our military and reform our intelligence services to face today’s threats. They will use all available resources, including our military might and the combined power of restored alliances, to smash terrorist networks, deny them sanctuary, stop their funding, and reduce recruitment. And John Kerry and John Edwards will implement a long-term strategy to keep America safe at home.

Fighting Terrorism

Destroy and Disrupt Terrorist Networks. John Kerry and John Edwards will use direct military action when necessary to disrupt and destroy terrorist networks. Under John Kerry’s leadership, American military operations will be precise and deadly. Kerry and Edwards will cut off the flow of terrorist funds by strengthening our anti-money laundering laws and imposing tough financial sanctions against nations or banks that fail to act against money laundering. And they will shut out of the U.S. financial system any nations that fail to respond.

Keep WMD Out of Terrorist Hands. John Kerry and John Edwards will launch a new initiative to prevent the world's deadliest weapons from falling into the world's most dangerous hands. They have a plan to secure vulnerable bomb-making materials, prevent the production of new materials for nuclear weapons, and work to end nuclear weapons programs in hostile states like North Korea and Iran.

Prevent New Terrorist Havens. John Kerry and John Edwards will work with our allies and the international community to stabilize and secure Iraq and Afghanistan to ensure that these newly freed nations and other weak states around the world do not become havens for terrorists.

Prevent Recruitment of New Terrorists. John Kerry and John Edwards will work to win the war of ideas and the future of a young generation with a strategy to break down economic and cultural isolation in Arab and Muslim countries and support local efforts to promote democracy, trade, tolerance, and respect for human rights. The strategy includes a major initiative in public diplomacy and an international effort to improve education.

Transforming Military and Intelligence Services to meet Today’s Threats

Transform the Military. John Kerry and John Edwards will transform the world’s most powerful military to better address the modern threats of terrorism and nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, while ensuring that we have enough properly trained and equipped troops to meet our strategic and regional missions. To accomplish this, they will: (1) expand our active duty forces by 40,000 soldiers, (2) double America’s Special Forces capability and increase other specialized personnel, (3) complete the process of technological transformation, and (4) redirect the National Guard for homeland security.

Reform National Intelligence Services. John Kerry and John Edwards will reform our intelligence services so we can get the critical information we need to defeat the terrorists and prevent another attack. They will create a cabinet-level Director of National Intelligence to strengthen the leadership and accountability of our intelligence community. They will reorganize the community into issue-oriented task forces based on the threats we face to maximize coordination and integration and ensure that all available resources are brought to bear on the most pressing threats. John Kerry and John Edwards will ensure we have more people with the right training and resources on the ground around the world, including by more than doubling the number of personnel on our clandestine services, so that we are getting the intelligence we need to win the war on terror. And to ensure that we are fully prepared to conduct vital counter-terrorism operations at home, they will make certain that a fully separate professional track for domestic intelligence is created within the FBI.

Protecting Our Homeland

Better Coordinate and Integrate with Local Law Enforcement. To better coordinate with local law enforcement, John Kerry and John Edwards will establish 24-hour operations centers in every state to give law enforcement personnel immediate access to watch lists and other intelligence from federal databases, and break down the bureaucratic barriers that prevent vital information-sharing -- including granting security clearances to local officials where appropriate. They will ensure that we have a single integrated and effective federal watch list that is readily accessible all across the country so that the intelligence we need to protect our homeland never again slips through the cracks.

Improve Border Security. John Kerry and John Edwards will improve security at our borders, seaports, and airports. They will improve the detection equipment in our shipping systems, ensure that private companies obtain adequate information about items they are shipping, and work with other nations to increase inspections of seaborne cargo. Kerry and Edwards will adopt tighter controls on air cargo, increase perimeter inspections at airports at home and abroad, work with our neighbors to strengthen border controls, and use better technology and more personnel to improve inspections while speeding up commerce.

Harden Targets: John Kerry and John Edwards will launch a major effort to harden our critical infrastructure and most vulnerable targets – from chemical and nuclear plants to rails, tunnels and key cyber networks. Kerry and Edwards will require new security standards at chemical plants, including more guards, better fencing, and use of less dangerous chemicals where possible. They will improve railroad and subway security by providing biological and chemical agent detectors.

Domestic Readiness: John Kerry and John Edwards will make sure first-responders have the training and equipment to respond to any attack with all the speed, skill, and strength required. A Kerry Edwards administration will modernize our emergency warning system to provide localized warnings and provide assistance to police and fire departments to end severe and growing shortages in manpower, training, and equipment. And they will ensure that complying with the requirements of our national alert system does not impose an unfair financial burden on state and local authorities. They will protect America against bioterrorism by putting one person in charge of the national response strategy, working with state and local leaders to increase local preparedness, revitalizing our public health system, and encouraging anti-bioterrorism research.

Guarding Liberty: John Kerry and John Edwards understand that terrorists do not just target our lives; they target our way of life. A Kerry Edwards administration will be on constant guard not to sacrifice the freedom we are fighting to protect. They will strengthen some portions of the Patriot Act, like the restrictions on money laundering, but change the portions of the Patriot Act that threaten individual rights, such as the library provisions. A Kerry Edwards administration will believe in an America where freedom is what we fight for – not what we give up.

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www.johnkerry.com

Paid for by John Kerry for President, Inc.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

1. top priority: prevent terrorists from getting weapons of mass destruction

It's no mistake that appears as the first point here:

Their top national security priority will be preventing terrorists from getting weapons of mass destruction....

Take that liar Bush.