From enduring assaults by the Taliban and Al Qaeda, to Hamas and Hezbollah in the Middle East, to Russia’s still unsecure nuclear arsenal and the ever-present threat of invisible biological, chemical, and cyber attacks, the next U.S. president will confront a broad range of potential terrorist threats. Thus far, talk on terrorism has centered almost exclusively on the two war zones. Both candidates have zeroed in on the lawless tribal regions along the Afghan-Pakistani border as the epicenter of the worldwide terrorist threat. Both candidates identify Islamic jihadism as a major threat to U.S. security interests and agree on a broad strategic view in confronting terrorism.

The Senators have also agreed on some tactical measures, such as closing the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. However, in the areas of intelligence gathering and border security, the candidates propose different ways to prevent domestic attacks. The gap between Obama and McCain on Afghanistan and national security represent their differing approaches to the “war on terror”. Whereas Obama sees global terrorism as a product of grievances that must be dealt with, McCain views Islamic violence as a battle for resources and leadership that will be emboldened by an American retreat from the Middle East. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the Bush administration launched a “Global War on Terror” and the United States invaded Afghanistan and Iraq as the war’s primary fronts -- with military operations spreading to other targets, including Somalia and Lebanon. However after six years, the term “war on terror” has begun to fade from the conventional political glossary. The majority of Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee went so far as to ban the term from the 2008 defense budget. While most Republicans continue to frame the conflicts in Iraq and beyond as part of a greater “war on terror”, it is increasingly clear that no state, however powerful, can defend itself unilaterally against this kind of transnational terrorism. Terrorist networks move across borders and through the crevices of the global economy.

Tactical success is only possible after effective diplomatic engagement at the highest levels. Agreements between the United States and Europe, like the Declaration on Combating Terrorism and the Extradition and Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, and multilateral organizations, such as NATO and the G-8, have helped this global effort. A strong counterterrorism partnership, built on better intelligence sharing and closer law enforcement cooperation, allow officials in the American and European military, intelligence and law enforcement communities to combat terrorism. A stronger Europe need not become a counterweight to the United States. The most dangerous form of terrorism, involving nuclear and biological weapons, requires the most extensive cooperation. Both candidates agree that America should move in a more multilateral direction but the question is whether the next administration will be willing to do so under the shade of a potential terrorist attack.

John McCain (R)

Senator McCain has claimed that Iraq, not Afghanistan, is the “central front” in the battle against terrorism, but he has criticized the mismanagement of the war in Iraq.  McCain has been a vocal supporter of the troop surge in Iraq and has called for permanent U.S. military bases in Afghanistan.  Like his Democratic rival, McCain believes more troops need to be deployed in Afghanistan to combat the terrorist threat.  Unlike Obama, McCain does not believe that the U.S. should pull out of Iraq to combat terrorism in Afghanistan until U.S. military commanders in the region say that conditions are stable.  The Senator has continuously criticized his Democratic rivals for their support of immediate troop withdrawal in 2009.  "Any president who does not regard this threat as transcending all others does not deserve to sit in the White House, for he or she does not take seriously enough the first and most basic duty a president has - to protect the lives of the American people," McCain stated, suggesting that his Democratic rival Barack Obama does not understand the stakes at hand.  The Senator argues that pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq before the region is completely secure will emboldened Islamic extremists around the world and strengthen Al Qaeda.  He claims that without the surge and continued U.S. presence in Iraq “America would have been humiliated and weakened. Our military, strained by years of sacrifice, would have suffered a demoralizing defeat. Our enemies around the globe would have been emboldened. Terrorists would have seen our defeat as evidence America lacked the resolve to defeat them.”  The Senator has also criticized Obama’s ideals of diplomacy through unconstrained dialogue, saying: “A peace process that places faith in terrorists can never end in peace.”

Critics at home and abroad have accused the Bush administration of employing a go-it-alone foreign policy in the wake of the Sept. 11th attacks when the administration led the invasion into Iraq and spurned international calls for caution.  Travelling to the Middle East and Europe, McCain has intended to signal leaders abroad - and voters at home - that he would end an era of what critics have dubbed Bush's “cowboy diplomacy”.  A recent letter from the McCain campaign stated: "This country has learned the peril of treating terrorists and their state sponsors as little more than a law enforcement problem.  We are unanimous in our view that the failures of the past should not be repeated, and we believe that John McCain's long record of national service, and his demonstrated judgment on matters of national security, make clear who can best defend this country abroad, and assure peace and prosperity at home."
Senator McCain has also shown a willingness to address the issue of terrorism with a more globalized and multilateral strategy.  "If we lead by shouldering our international responsibilities and pointing the way to a better and safer future for humanity ... it will strengthen us to confront the transcendent challenge of our time: the threat of radical Islamic terrorism," said the four-term senator and member of the Armed Services Committee. The Senator has also expressed a desire to close down the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, stating: “I also regard the prison at Guantanamo as a liability in the cause against violent radical extremism, and as president I would close it. I intend as well to listen carefully when close allies offer their counsel. And even when they don't volunteer their advice, I'll ask for it and seek it out.”

Barack Obama (D)

Senator Obama has been critical of the Bush administration’s policies following the terrorist attacks of 9/11, claiming that “the President was determined to go to war”.  In a July 2007 Foreign Affairs article, Obama said “the world has lost trust in our purposes and our principles” as a result of actions taken under auspices of the “war on terror”.  In a statement on August 1, 2007, Senator Obama stated: “As 9/11 showed us, the security of Afghanistan and America is shared. And today, that security is most threatened by the al Qaeda and Taliban sanctuary in the tribal regions of northwest Pakistan.”  The Illinois senator, whose opposition to the war in Iraq has defined his campaign, argues that U.S. presence in Iraq has fanned Islamic terrorism and diverted military resources from confronting new terrorist camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where operatives trained for the 9/11 attacks on the U.S.  “We must bring the Iraq war to a responsible end and refocus our attention on the broader Middle East. Iraq was a diversion from the fight against the terrorists who struck us on 9/11.”  Obama has made Afghanistan a centerpiece of his proposed strategy for dealing with terrorism threats. The Illinois senator has said the war in Afghanistan, where Taliban and al-Qaida-linked militants are resurgent, deserves more troops and more attention as opposed to the conflict in Iraq. Both Obama and his Republican rival for the presidency, Sen. John McCain, advocate sending more forces to the country.  "The situation is precarious and urgent here in Afghanistan and I believe this has to be our central focus, the central front in our battle against terrorists," Obama told CBS News. "If we wait until the next administration it could be a year before we get those troops on the ground."  If elected, Senator Obama says he would quickly withdraw troops from Iraq and sent them to Afghanistan to defeat the Taliban and Al Qaeda: “It is time to go after the Al Qaeda leadership where it actually exists.”  During a speech on August 1, 2007, Obama stated:  “When I am President, we will wage the war that has to be won, with a comprehensive strategy with five elements: getting out of Iraq and on to the right battlefield in Afghanistan and Pakistan; developing the capabilities and partnerships we need to take out the terrorists and the world's most deadly weapons; engaging the world to dry up support for terror and extremism; restoring our values; and securing a more resilient homeland.”

While in Paris this summer, Obama said that “terrorism cannot be solved by any one country alone,” and that we should establish partnerships.  In Berlin, he expressed hope that Europeans and Americans “can join in a new and global partnership to dismantle the networks” of terrorists worldwide. While Obama argues that his “strategy will be to build our capacity and our partnerships to track down, capture or kill terrorists around the world”, and he “will not hesitate to use military force to take out terrorists who pose a direct threat to America.” The Senator has said nuclear terrorism is "the gravest danger we face," and he would seek to rally international support to place increased pressure on Iran and North Korea over their apparent nuclear ambitions. “This cannot just be an American mission. Al Qaeda and its allies operate in nearly 100 countries….As President, I will create a Shared Security Partnership Program to forge an international intelligence and law enforcement infrastructure to take down terrorist networks”

Senator Obama has been extremely critical of the controversial prison at Guantanamo Bay, stating: “as President, I will close Guantanamo, reject the Military Commissions Act, and adhere to the Geneva Conventions. Our Constitution and our Uniform Code of Military Justice provide a framework for dealing with the terrorists.” The Senator voted against the Military Commissions Act of 2006, which authorized trail by military commissions for detainees at the prison.  He supports the Supreme Court decision granting foreign terrorist suspects at Guantanamo a right to challenge their detention in civil court.  He stated: "Today's Supreme Court decision ensures that we can protect our nation and bring terrorists to justice, while also protecting our core values.”  The Senator believes the decision was “an important step toward reestablishing our credibility as a nation committed to the rule of law, and rejecting a false choice between fighting terrorism and respecting habeas corpus.”

Read More

Allies Obama Overlooked Eric Egland, New York Times, August 1, 2008

Obama calls situation in Afghanistan 'urgent' Wahidullah Mayar, CNN, July 21, 2008

Barack Obama meets Afghan President Hamid Karzai AP, July 21, 2008

In Kabul, Obama calls Afghan front 'central' to war on terror Carlotta Gall & Jeff Zeleny, International Herald Tribune, July 20, 2008

Obama says time to rid world of nuclear weapons Alexander Mooney, CNN, July 16, 2008

Candidates' views differ on detainee policy                               Carol Rosenberg, Miami Herald, July 13, 2008

Aides Offer Broad Outlines of Candidates’ Homeland Security Priorities                 Matt Korade, CQ Politics, July 10, 2008

Terrorism strategies of U.S. presidential candidates differ sharply Bryan Bender, International Herald Tribune, July 7, 2008

Poll: Terrorism fears are fading Alan Silverleib, CNN, July 2, 2008

The Candidates' Idiotic Debate Over War On Terror Lionel Beehner, Huffington Post, June 30, 2008

Candidates Diverge on Next Steps for Guantanamo Jackie Northam, NPR, June 30, 2008

Terrorism Becomes A Campaign Issue Jonathan Chait, CBS, June 20, 2008

Obama: I Won't Make Bin Laden A Martyr AP, June 17, 2008

Combating International Terrorism A Managing Global Insecurity Brief, Brookings Institution, New York University, & Stanford University, May 2008

McCain Calls For Cooperation With Allies AP, March 26, 2008