National security starts at home. The recommendations of the 9/11 Commission gave our nation an excellent blueprint for strengthening national security, and I strongly support efforts to fund and act upon those recommendations, including better securing our ports and borders.

The commitment of so much of our military’s resources to the extended conflict in Iraq has compromised our ability to fight terror across the globe. We must better address the situation in Afghanistan, and be more prepared to handle potential conflicts in countries like North Korea and Iran, if necessary. It is also imperative that we regain our position as the world’s international leader by restoring trust and diplomacy to our relationships across the globe. In order to achieve security, we must be smart and tough, using both our military might and our diplomatic relationships to fight terrorists abroad.