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SMART
Security in a challenged world
March 2007 |
A
couple years ago, WAND and other peace and security
groups were instrumental in helping Rep. Lynn Woolsey
put together a remarkable piece of legislation called
SMART Security.
SMART
stands for Sensible, Multilateral American Response
to Terrorism. It states that we should take
a whole new approach to the "war on terror"
-- intelligent and cooperative rather than rash and
militaristic.
Rep.
Woolsey introduced SMART to the 109th Congress, where
it garnered 57 cosponsors. In March 2007, she introduced
a slightly altered version to the 110th Congress (H.Res.227).
SMART
Security is better security.
To be truly safe, we need to be smart, cooperative,
global. Support a new approach to security.
Weapons
of mass destruction, terrorism, and oppressive regimes
represent urgent threats to peace and security in
the 21st Century. It is more important now than ever
to address the root causes of terrorism and violent
conflict to prevent future acts of terrorism from
occurring.
Urge your Representative to co-sponsor the Sensible,
Multilateral American Response to Terrorism (SMART)
Security Platform for the 21st Century, which provides
a more effective national strategy focused on nonproliferation,
conflict prevention, international diplomacy, and
multilateralism.
SMART
Security means:
• Working with the U.N. and NATO to root out
terrorist networks and cut off funding to these organizations;
• Strengthening intelligence and law enforcement
while respecting human and civil rights;
• Pursuing diplomacy, enhanced inspection regimes,
and regional security arrangements to reduce the proliferation
of nuclear weapons;
• Ceasing the sale and transfer of weapons to
regimes involved in human rights abuses and to regions
of conflict;
• Increasing development aid and debt relief
for the world’s poorest countries;
• Reducing dependence on foreign oil by promoting
long-term energy security through greater investment
in sustainable and renewable alternatives; and
• Supporting civil society programs as a critical
component in the prevention and resolution of violent
conflict.
The
security of the American people is too important not
to address in the post-September 11 world, but we
must address it in a smart way. As the world’s
largest democracy, we have a responsibility to utilize
all diplomatic possibilities before resorting to force.
While
it may be frustrating and time-consuming to negotiate
with other countries when disagreements arise, in
the long run cooperating with the international community
will make the world more peaceful, and Americans far
safer, than aggressive unilateralism.
Staff
at Physicians for Social Responsibility (PSR), Women's
Action for New Directions (WAND), and the 3-D Security
Initiative worked with Rep. Woolsey on this legislation.
The
updates to SMART in the 110th Congress
The
bill remains much the same as the version introduced
in the 109th Congress. This updated information was
included in the 110th Congress version of the bill:
-
Whereas
in an early 2007 joint statement, former U.S. national
security officials Henry Kissinger, Sam Nunn, George
Schultz, and Bill Perry called for establishing
a goal for the global elimination of nuclear weapons;
-
Whereas
the over-reliance of the United States on unilateral
military force and the use of preventive military
action undermine international law and contribute
to anti-American sentiment;
-
Whereas
the gap between U.S. investments in development,
diplomacy, and defense is increasing, with a ratio
of 17 dollars spent on defense for every one dollar
spent on development and diplomacy;
-
Whereas
recent polls find that large majorities of Americans
feel that the United States puts too much emphasis
on military force and unilateral action, and there
there is majority support for a shift in the emphasis
of U.S. foreign policy in favor of diplomacy, multilateral
cooperation, and investments in development programs
to address the root causes of terrorism;
-
Whereas
the 2006 National Security Strategy identifies development,
diplomacy, and defense as the three pillars of U.S.
security, yet development and diplomacy efforts
remain underutilized and underfunded;
-
In
addition, mention is made of working toward achieving
Ronald Reagan’s vision of a world free of
nuclear weapons and confronting the threat of global
warming.
