(Danville, California)
Six and a half years ago this nation was hit by the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history. Today, watching the presidential campaign trail, you'd hardly know it.
But the issue raised its ugly head again after a man named Kevin Brown was arrested bringing bomb-making materials into the Orlando airport for God-only-knows-what purpose.
Then today we heard from the Al-Qaeda second-in-command, the Egyptian doctor Ayman al-Zawahiri. How anybody gave this man a license to practice medicine is beyond me. It strikes me that he missed out on reciting the Hippocratic Oath and its goal to "first do no harm." Doctors are supposed to save lives, not to be murderous thugs like al-Zawahiri. In any case, he launched his latest anti-American diatribe today, promising more death and destruction.
All of this makes me feel that terrorism should be at or near the top of the debate list in this year's presidential race; but it's almost nowhere to be found. Let's face it! We're a reactive nation, not a proactive nation. We wait until a crisis strikes, and then we act. We simply have to change that mode of operation, or we will get caught with our pants down again.
The press and the public need to be asking the three remaining presidential candidates how they plan to fight a war on terrorism. Heck! Ask Ralph Nader, too, just in case. He might have some good ideas. Who knows?
Sen. John McCain is the only one who regularly mentions terrorism. He has the best line of the entire campaign when he says, "I will get Osama bin Laden. I know how to do that. And I will hunt him down to the gates of hell if I have to, but I will get him!" The crowd always roars, but there are no specifics; and that's about as far as it goes.
Sens. Clinton and Obama make no such boast, nor can they. Neither has the military mettle that McCain has. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't have a plan. Obama was highly criticized when he suggested launching a counteroffensive into Pakistan, whether that country's leaders approve or not. Clinton has been consistently silent.
Someone could suggest increased funding for the CIA and the FBI, and for military intelligence. But all we get is silence. I am not asking the candidates to show all their cards, because that would be foolish too. But at least say something about the issue of terrorism, to assure the public that it's at least on your radar screen.
In the meantime, all the bickering is about the Rev. Wright, Bill Richardson, the Super Delegates, etc. None is a burning issue that threatens this nation.
If we fail to pay attention, we have only ourselves (and our candidates) to blame if we get hit again.
Check in often for the latest perspective on presidential politics at www.MarkCurtisMedia.blogspot.com.
I'll be at the crucial Pennsylvania primary in less than three weeks!
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