John Edwards' multilateral counter-terrorism policy

What many of us are looking for is new ideas.  Old, ideological ideas got us into this current foreign policy mess.  During a speech today in New York City, John Edwards gave a speech on counter-terrorism.  Stressing the importance of multilateralism, Edwards called for the creation of a Counterterrorism and Intelligence Treaty Organization:

CITO would be made up of nations committed to sharing financial,police, customs and immigration intelligence that would enableauthorities to track and shut down terrorist cells, he said.

“We saw the promise of a new multilateral approach just a couple ofdays ago in Germany,” Mr. Edwards said, referring to the arrests ofthree men there who were suspected of plotting attacks on Americaninterests. The arrests were made possible through close cooperationbetween American and German authorities.

“We must be able to coordinate similar operations throughout theworld—in the Middle East, Asia, Africa and anywhere in the world theterrorists may attack,” Mr. Edwards said. He clarified that membershipin CITO would be contingent upon the willingness of each nation toactively combat terrorism.

Mr. Edwards also spoke of the need for a new “foreign policy ofconviction.” He used the example of U.S. relations with Pakistan tocriticize the Bush administration for what he had earlier described asa “foreign policy of convenience” that “regularly turns a blind eyewhen our allies wrongly fail to cooperate.”

Great idea!  And not only do we need intelligence-sharing between countries, but between federal agencies right in this country.  Six years after the attacks on 9/11, and the Administration has chosen not to engage in serious intelligence-sharing with other countries.  The only intelligence-sharing that exists is done on back channels.  If we had an infrastructure set up that could enable this kind of shared cooperation, then that added communication could plug some of the current security holes.

Comments

[Robert]

The more I hear and see of Mr Edwards the more I am turned to him. While on most elections I tend to lean to the democrats in 2000 I was really turned to John McCain. I'm sad to see he lost what he had then. Or maybe i'm just older now. But Edwards seems to have the same vibe of coming out and truelly speaking what he thinks and feels, along with stating policys which he hopes to enact.