Most effective way to prevent terrorism

is missing from 911 report, Libertarians say

[Originally posted without comment. (I have to sleep sometime.) Now there's comment.]

WASHINGTON, DC -- The report by the September 11 commission is missing
one obvious way the U.S. government could reduce the chance of another
terrorist attack, Libertarians say: Quit meddling in foreign nations.

"The intelligence reform needed most right now is a more intelligent
foreign policy," says Libertarian presidential candidate Michael
Badnarik. "Pulling U.S. troops out of nations where they don't belong
would make America much safer than appointing a thousand new
intelligence czars."

The report by the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the
United States, released on Thursday in Washington, notes that the
government missed up to 10 opportunities to unravel the September 11
plot because of bureaucratic bungling among 15 U.S. intelligence
agencies. It recommends creating a new multi-agency center to fight
terrorism; appointing a single director of national intelligence; and
strengthening congressional oversight of intelligence agencies.

Unfortunately, the politicians who authored the 600-page report chose to
overlook the simplest way to protect America, Badnarik says: Adopt a
foreign policy of neutrality and non-intervention.

"Most Americans would be shocked to learn that U.S. troops are deployed
in more than 100 nations around the globe," he said. "Putting U.S.
troops in volatile, anti-American regions such as the Middle East makes
them tempting targets for terrorists."

In fact, terrorists attacked several U.S. targets -- such as the USS
Cole and the World Trade Center -- before the catastrophic events of
September 11, and each time made it clear that they were reacting to
U.S. foreign policy in the region.

"You don't see terrorists targeting other prosperous, Western-style
democracies such as Switzerland, Canada or Sweden," he said. "And one
reason is that those governments don't meddle in other nation's affairs
or embark on foolish nation-building missions."

For decades, he noted, the U.S. government has provided military and
financial aid to both Israel and its Arab enemies, has sided both with
Iran and Iraq in their bitter, 10-year war and has routinely supported
and armed brutal dictatorships around the world -- so politicians
shouldn't pretend that they're shocked when Americans become targets for
terrorists.

That's why the biggest missed opportunity of all is the government's
refusal to reform U.S. foreign policy, Libertarians say.

"Instead of making America safer, Republicans and Democrats have opted
once again to make government bigger," he said. "When will they learn
that the best way to protect Americans at home is to quit making enemies
abroad?"

The trouble with the Libertarians, besides that Badnarik will probably be in jail for tax evasion by election day, is that I really haven't seen a credible plan to turn the US into a giant Switzerland. Actually, I suppose the point would be to use Switzerland, or better, New Zealand as scale models, but we're at A here and we need to find the way to B.