BHUTTO ASSASSINATION A REMINDER

The assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto today in Pakistan is a stark reminder to all Americans of the dangerous world we face. Bhutto, shot and suicide-bombed following an election rally in preparation for national elections January 8, was the first female leader of a Muslim nation and had recently reiterated her support for democracy and opposition to radical Islamists like the Taliban. Pakistan is a mess despite American support estimated at $10B since 9/11, and the security of their nuclear warheads and missiles is highly questionable. It is another situation in which the United States must have a firm, adult hand on the tiller of state, because the stakes are too great to do otherwise.

Americans will begin choosing a President one week from today in the Iowa caucuses. Every caucus participant, and everyone voting in the Presidential election, must consider who they want in command of the United States military and national security policy when international crises arise. We face a suicidal, determined enemy bent on our destruction, with nuclear weapons if possible. We cannot afford to have a squishy or hesitant CINC. We may not be the world's policeman, but when the rest of the world dials 9-1-1, the phone rings at the Pentagon. America needs a firm and decisive leader who will project credibility and strength, a leader who makes it clear that the United States is always leaning forward and will respond to attack with overwhelming force. The Oval Office cannot be seen as a puzzle palace that rarely gives foreign powers identifiable signals. Our strategies and policies must be clearly communicated to avoid any little misunderstandings. The commander of our military men and women must be seen as unhesitatingly forceful in foreign capitals to best insure our security. The decisions of voters over the next ten months will determine who that next commander is, and it's a decision that should be made with great consideration of that role.

The idea of a modern nuclear arsenal complete with delivery vehicles in the hands of Al Qaeda terrorists is too apocalyptic to ignore. Musharraf has been a convenient if not perfect ally since September 11th. While he has failed to crack down on the Al Qaeda and Taliban militants in his own country, he at least provided control of the suspect Paki military and its nuclear assets. Or he did provide control until the United States and other western nations pushed him to resign as head of the military after a recent constitutional crisis between him and Pakistan's supreme court over his dual role as head of state and the military. Faced with lawyers in the streets and a myopic zeal for democratic reform from western powers, Musharraf knuckled under to the pressure and abandoned his position as military chief. Bhutto had hoped to return to power after a long exile and might have provided a stronger ally had she survived. Now the country is in turmoil and no one can say where it goes from here. The potential nightmare scenarios are too numerous to count. Musharraf is all we have in Pakistan. He may be a military dictator, but the alternative is even less acceptable. And since our unmistakable primary concern is the nuclear arsenal, we really have no choice but to back him for now.

The situation in Pakistan is a reminder to all Republican Presidential primary voters of the complex and dangerous problems with which our next CINC will wrestle. The safety of our families and children depend on picking the right person for the job. The GOP candidates have all made their cases well enough for those paying attention to make an informed choice. When all the candidates are judged on their ability to be our next CINC, the clear choice is Fred Thompson. Rudy, Romney, Huckabee, and McCain pale in comparison to Fred's ability to articulate policy in an understandable way that leaves no room for doubt about our intentions. We cannot afford to place our nation in the jeopardy that would be the result of any other choice. Fred Thompson's forthright and direct style are just what America needs in it's next President, and Iowa's voters should take heed of recent world events and give Fred the support he needs. The other gentlemen running simply do not fit the bill, and Thompson offers conservatives a strong leader in troubled times.

I blame the Neocons. I wrote at the time that we shouldn't push Musharraf too hard or too fast. The desire of certain administration members to force the democracy agenda in a nuclear armed nation rife with Islamic terrorists was clearly a mistake. Our national security interests should always be placed ahead of any plan to force democratic reform of foreign lands. The Neos failed to anticipate the resistance in Iraq, and they're efforts to support elections as a cure-all for Islamofascism have resulted in a Hamas government in the Palestinian territories and potential loose nukes in Pakistan. Free elections are all well and good, but they aren't always in our best interests. We should always be hesitant to micromanage the affairs of other nations. It's time America placed national security above ideological concerns, and a Fred Thompson administration would do just that.