PRESS RELEASE from the Partnership for a
Secure America via PRNewswire-USNewswire
Questions
for Obama-McCain Debate from
Bipartisan Group of Top National Security Officials Who Gave U.S. a 'C'
on Preventing Nuclear Terrorism
WASHINGTON, Sept. 26
/PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by the
Partnership for a Secure America:
WHAT: Questions for Obama-McCain Debate from Bipartisan Group of Top
National Security Officials Who Gave U.S. a "C" on Preventing Nuclear
Terrorism
WHEN: Additional debate commentary and analysis available on request
WHO: The Partnership for a Secure America (PSA)
CONTACT: Michael Landweber, 202-464-6014
Earlier this month, PSA gave the U.S. Government a "C" grade for its
efforts to prevent a nuclear, chemical or biological terror attack on
America. The PSA Advisory Board includes the former Chair and Vice
Chair of the 9/11 Commission, six former Senators, four former National
Security Advisors, former Secretaries of State and Defense, three
former UN Ambassadors, and a former Governor.
Now, this group is asking the candidates for President to propose
solutions to five critical foreign policy challenges that both
Democrats and Republicans will support. "As Democrats and Republicans,"
their statement begins, "we believe that the next President of the
United States must initiate a new era of US global leadership based on
bipartisanship at home and cooperative engagement abroad."
They ask the following questions of Senators McCain and Obama:
-- As President, how would you strengthen international cooperation to
prevent nuclear capabilities from falling into dangerous hands and turn
[our current] failing grade into an "A"?
-- What alternative fuel, energy efficiency, and emissions reduction
policies would you seek to implement nationally and internationally by
the end of your first term as President in January 2013?
-- How will you elevate both the level and effectiveness of US
government development spending to advance our national security and
foreign policy
goals?
-- How will you reaffirm America's global leadership in promoting human
rights and the rule of law around the world?
-- As President, how will you actively engage China while encouraging
it to become a stronger stakeholder in the international system?
Former Reagan National Security Adviser Robert "Bud" McFarlane said:
"we think these five priorities haven't gotten the attention they
deserve. We're trying to stimulate a more thoughtful debate...and frame
for the American people that these are things you should be concerned
about."
Full text available at http://www.secureamericachallenge.org.
Matt Rojansky, PSA Executive Director, will be available for debate
commentary and analysis. Rojansky is a regular writer, commentator and
panelist on national security and foreign policy. He is currently
Executive Director of the Partnership for a Secure America, a
bipartisan group of national security experts co-chaired by former Rep.
Lee Hamilton and
former Sen. Warren Rudman. Rojansky has worked for the Defense
Department in
the US military's top appellate court, and served as a Fellow at
Stanford University's Center for International Security and
Cooperation. He was
an advisor to Israel's Foreign Ministry on proceedings before the
International Court of Justice, and has worked and studied in the
former Soviet Union. He holds a J.D. from Stanford Law School and an
A.B. in Soviet history from Harvard College.