The Redhunter

There are "thousands committed to violence" today, he said, and America needs to use all of its tools to go after them. But he said millions more people are "sitting on the fence" about whether to join those ranks. "We have to offer them a hand to our side instead of a shove to the other side of that fence," he said.

Mr. Edwards proposed creating a Cabinet-level position to oversee the initiative, which he said would require international allies.

Now, I agree with Frank Gaffney that President Bush has done a terrible job at projecting the immense "soft power" that our country posesses.

But as Cliff May observes, ""Humanitarian aid ... doesn't really have much to do with the causes of terrorism" (as quoted in the Sun article).

Edwards' full plan is posted on his website. Much is sensible, but it's all 101 level stuff:

Ensure our intelligence strategy adheres to proven and effective methods and avoids actions that will give terrorists or even other nations an excuse to abandon international law.

Hold regular meetings with top military leadership. Edwards will also reinstate a basic doctrine of national security management—military professionals will have primary responsibility in matters of tactics and operations, while civilian leadership will have authority in all matters of broad strategy and political decisions.

I'm certainly relieved to hear he'll be meeting with the military leadership. Was I supposed to be worried that he wouldn't be?

Unfortunately, the fact sheet that accompanies the plan isn't any better.

John Edwards has a long way to go before he convinces me he's serious about national security.

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