Nation Needs New Tactics

Thursday, August 31, 2006

By Ray Hackett, Norwich Bulletin

August 31, 2006

NORWICH -- The United States needs to rethink its strategy in dealing with terrorism, a senior fellow for national security for the non-partisan Center for National Policy told the Norwich Rotary Club Wednesday.

"In the nearly five years since Sept. 11, there has been some progress made," Scott Bates said. "But, at home, we remain a house divided and homeland security has become a political issue. To prevail in the war on terror, we need a new approach."

Among his suggestions: Fight harder and smarter, with an emphasis on better intelligence and increased use of special forces rather than convention ground wars; build a bipartisan strategy because the war on terror will not be won soon, and -- most importantly -- remaining true to our core values.

"Because when we remain true to our values, we always prevail," he said, likening today's challenges to the ones America faced from Nazi Fascism and Communism.

"I think he's on the right track as far as his vision on what we need to do," Rotary Club member Antonio Gooding of Liberty Bank said. He was among three dozen members attending Wednesday's luncheon.

Bates, who lives in Stonington, has served in a number of state and federal government positions, including Virginia secretary of the state and senior-level congressional staff positions.

At the time of the Sept. 11 attacks, he was in Kosovo assisting in the stabilization and promotion of building democratic institutions. He also was instrumental in assisting the transitional government of Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban, and was part of the on-site investigation team at Guantanamo Bay after his appointment as senior policy adviser for the new U.S. House Homeland Security Committee.

Bates told Wednesday's audience groups such as Al Qaeda are waging a "value-based war" against the United States, using each misstep America makes as a rallying call to Muslim communities across the globe. That's why he believes it is critical America remain committed to its values.

"President Bush said freedom is not America's gift to the world, but rather God's gift to humanity," he said. "I believe that."

Rotary member Lottie Scott said she agreed with Bates' three-point new approach to the war, but also expressed concern about border control and immigration and the threat it poses to the nation in the future.

"As a citizen, I'm very nervous," she said during a brief question and answer period. "I think we're very vulnerable."

Bates agreed. But he said sufficient safeguards can be implemented to minimize that vulnerability.

"I think we can see that it doesn't work if we only focus on one thing," he said. "You have to do all three. Nine-eleven was a shock, but we're on notice now. And we can expect something else."

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