Lynn C. Woolsey: “I rise today to offer a new SMART approach to national security, an approach that emphasizes brains instead of brawn…”

“I rise today to offer a new SMART approach to national security, an approach that emphasizes brains instead of brawn, one that is consistent with American values. Talk about mistakes. It has been 1 year since the President of the United States, without just cause, or, in fact, being provoked, invaded Iraq. Hundreds of Americans have given their lives for this war, not to mention the thousands wounded, the billions of dollars spent, and the international goodwill squandered. We were told that this war was necessary to keep us safe. We were told Saddam Hussein had the world's most dangerous weapons aimed at American cities. Now even the President makes tacky jokes about looking for the missing weapons of mass destruction under his sofa. We were told by the administration that Saddam was in cahoots with al Qaeda. Now Richard Clark tells us that invading Iraq in response to 9/ 11 was as senseless as it would have been if FDR had attacked Mexico in response to Pearl Harbor. The President's national security policy is not just immoral. It is incompetent. There has to be a better way and there is. I have introduced legislation to create a SMART security platform for the 21st century.”