The
United States has become the world’s greatest military superpower.
There is no doubt that we are militarily strong. But are we
safer?
Ideas
that should result in SMART Security include:
- Strengthening International Institutions and the Rule
of Law to Prevent Acts of Terrorism and Future Wars
- Reducing the Threat and Stopping the Spread of Nuclear
Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Changing Budget Priorities to Reflect Real Security
Needs
Adoption and implementation of these ideas by any present
or future U.S. Congress and Administration will make us safer
from the dangers of terrorism.
Below is a description of the SMART Security Platform
and the full text of the SMART Security Resolution
which has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.
You can support this platform and resolution by communicating
your support to your elected representatives in Congress and
in the White House.
* * * * *
The
Platform for Smart Security
- Strengthen International Institutions and the Rule of
Law to Prevent Acts of Terrorism and Future Wars
- Increase support for multilateral diplomacy and international
institutions like the United Nations; work collectively
to eliminate terrorist networks and resolve international
conflicts
- Increase funding for humanitarian programs which address
the root causes of instability and terrorism, like hunger,
illiteracy, and unemployment, while allocating funds
to educate all to the fullness, diversity, and equality
of people of different cultures
- Reject unilateral preemptive war as a means of resolving
international conflict and support institutions that
can bring terrorists to justice, like the International
Criminal Court
- Reduce the Threat and Stop the Spread of Nuclear Weapons
and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Demonstrate global leadership by renouncing the first
use of nuclear weapons, the development of new nuclear
weapons (“mini-nukes”), the testing of nuclear weapons,
and the unproven, unnecessary, and incredibly expensive
ballistic missile defense
- Honor our international commitment to work for the
elimination of nuclear weapons, while increasing funding
to secure “loose” Russian nuclear weapons and materials
so they don’t fall into the hands of terrorists
- Strengthen U.S. commitment to international treaties,
like the Biological Weapons Convention and the Chemical
Weapons Convention
- Change Priorities to Reflect Smart Security Needs
- Eliminate military spending on obsolete and unnecessary
weapons and use these resources to strengthen local
“emergency responders” (fire, police, and public health
departments), as well as for meeting urgent domestic
needs like health care, education, jobs, etc.
- Provide adequate peacekeeping and redevelopment funding
in troubled nations like Afghanistan and Iraq to secure
long-term peace and stability
- Provide new investments in renewable safe energy alternatives
which will reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and
the growing threat of global warming
* * * * *
HOUSE
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 158
109th CONGRESS - 1st SESSION
Sensible,
Multilateral American Response to Terrorism (SMART)
security platform for the 21st century
(H. CON. RES. 158)
Calling for the
adoption of a Sensible, Multilateral
American Response to Terrorism (SMART) security
platform for the 21st century.
IN THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 18, 2005
Ms. WOOLSEY (for herself, Mr. HINCHEY,
Mr. OWENS, Ms. LEE, Mr. HONDA, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr.
GRIJALVA, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California,
Mr. MCDERMOTT, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas,
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. CONYERS, Mr.
FARR,
Ms. SOLIS, Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota, Mr. ABERCROMBIE,
Mr. HOLT, Ms. BALDWIN,
Mr. EMANUEL, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. FILNER, Ms. JACKSON-LEE
of Texas, Ms. KILPATRICK of Michigan, Ms. KAPTUR,
Mr. KUCINICH, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. OBERSTAR,
Mr. OLVER, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. LINDA T.
SANCHEZ of California, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY,
Ms. WATERS, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN,
Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. CLAY,
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. MORAN
of Virginia, Mrs. NAPOLITANO,
Mr. SANDERS, Ms. MCKINNEY, Mr. BROWN of Ohio,
Mr. TIERNEY, Ms. CARSON, Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts,
Mrs. MALONEY, and Ms. NORTON) submitted the following
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on International Relations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Calling for the adoption of a Sensible,
Multilateral American Response to Terrorism (SMART)
security platform for the 21st century.
Whereas the procurement or development
of weapons of mass destruction, acts of terrorism,
abusive governmental regimes, and global instability
represent urgent threats to peace and security
in the 21st century;
Whereas such threats are fueled
in large part by poverty, disease, and resource
scarcity;
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 United States foreign and
domestic policies and budget priorities should
promote global peace, stability, and security
through a balance between diplomatic, informational,
military, and economic instruments of power;
Whereas a Sensible, Multilateral
American Response to Terrorism (SMART) security
platform for the 21st century embraces international
law and cooperation, reduces the proliferation
of weapons, demonstrates respect for human rights,
promotes democracy and sustainable development,
and addresses emerging threats early and effectively
before they reach crisis levels; and
Whereas to effectively implement such a response
to terrorism, the United States needs a SMART
security platform for the 21st century that -
(1) prevents future
acts of terrorism by strengthening international
institutions and respect for the rule of law;
(2) reduces the threat and stops
the spread of weapons of mass destruction and
reduces the proliferation ofconventional weapons;
(3) addresses root causes of
terrorism and violent conflict;
(4) shifts United States budget
priorities to more effectively meet the security
needs of the United States; and
(5) pursues to the fullest extent
alternatives to war:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives
(the Senate concurring), That Congress calls for
the adoption of a Sensible, Multilateral American
Response to Terrorism (SMART) security platform
for the 21st century that--
(1) prevents future acts of terrorism
by strengthening international institutions and
respect for the rule of law by--
(A) working with
the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization,
other
international institutions, and other countries
to root out terrorist networks and strengthen international
law;
(B) strengthening intelligence
and law enforcement cooperation, while respecting
human and civil rights, aimed at tracking, arresting,
and bringing to justice individuals involved in
terrorist acts; and
(C) enhancing international efforts
to cut off financing for terrorist organizations;
(2) reduces the
threat and stops the spread of weapons of mass
destruction and reduces proliferation of conventional
weapons by-
(A) adhering to
and supporting existing nonproliferation treaties,
including the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (entered
into force with respect to the United States in
1970), the Biological Weapons Convention (entered
into force with respect to the United States in
1975), the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (signed
by the United States in 1996), and the Chemical
Weapons Convention (entered into force with respect
to the United States in 1997);
(B) setting an example for the
rest of the world by renouncing the development
of new nuclear weapons and the testing of nuclear
weapons;
(C) prioritizing and providing
adequate funding for the Cooperative Threat Reduction
program of the Department of Defense, the Defense
Nuclear Nonproliferation Program of the Department
of Energy, and similar or related programs of other
Federal departments and agencies to work with the
Russian Federation and the states of the former
Soviet Union to dismantle nuclear warheads, reduce
nuclear stockpiles, and secure nuclear weapons and
materials in, and prevent the outflow of nuclear
weapons expertise from, Russia and those states;
(D) replicating in other countries
and regions of the world the Cooperative Threat
Reduction program, the Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation
program, and similar or related programs of other
Federal departments and agencies;
(E) pursuing diplomacy, enhanced
inspec tion regimes, and regional security arrangements
to reduce proliferation;
(F) working to ensure that highly
enriched uranium is stored only in secure locations
around the world by--
(i) providing
adequate funding for the Global Threat Reduction
Initiative of the Department of Energy to provide
for the removal, or temporary adequate security
where removal is not yet feasible, of highly enriched
uranium from its many locations around the world;
and
(ii) carrying out the necessary
provisions of the Global Threat Reduction Initiative,
including the authority to provide adequate incentives
for the removal of highly enriched uranium to
secure locations; and
(G) enhancing arms
exports controls for conventional weapons, including
restricting the sale and transfer of weapons to
governmental regimes involved in human rights abuses
and to regions of conflict;
(3) addresses root
causes of terrorism and violent conflict by--
(A) increasing
development aid to and debt relief for the poorest
countries and integrating peace-building and conflict
prevention into development programs;
(B) working with the international
community to address the growing problem of resource
scarcity;
(C) supporting programs that promote
sustainable development, democracy-building, human
rights education, conflict resolution, the strengthening
of civil society in the developing world, and educational
opportunities for women and girls; and
(D) engaging the international
community in post-conflict reconstruction and political
transition processes;
(4) shifts United
States budget priorities to more effectively meet
the security needs of the United States by--
(A) creating a
more effective national security strategy focused
on multilateralism, nonproliferation, diplomacy,
and conflict prevention;
(B) ceasing to pay for outdated
weapons systems that do not address today's security
threats;
(C) reducing dependence on foreign
oil by promoting long-term energy security through
greater investment in sustainable and renewable
alternatives; and
(D) providing adequate peacekeeping,
reconstruction, and development funding to secure
long-term peace and stability in troubled countries
and regions; and
(5) pursues to
the fullest extent alternatives to war by--
(A) increasing
United States and international capacities for the
prevention of armed conflict, including more effective
conflict assessment and early warning systems, multilateral
rapid response mechanisms, human rights monitoring,
civilian policing, and effective justice systems;
(B) strengthening United States
diplomacyand international and regional institutions
to prevent and resolve violent conflict; and
(C) supporting civil society programs
as a critical component in the prevention and resolution
of violent conflict.
The above platform is adapted from the
SMART Security Platform developed by Physicians
for Social Responsibility.
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