THE US: The Democratic Party's White House challenger, Senator John Kerry, yesterday proposed a new national security strategy to better combat terror and repair what he described as the damage caused by President George W. Bush's "go-it-alone bullying".
"There is still a powerful yearning around the world for an America that listens and leads again, an America that is respected and not just feared," he declared in what was billed as a major policy address.
Senator Kerry, who used the occasion to step up his criticism of President Bush's handling of the situation Iraq, outlined a security strategy based on what he called "four principled imperatives": building a new era of US-led alliances; modernising the military to meet fresh threats; better use of diplomatic, intelligence and economic power; and freeing America from its "dangerous dependence" on oil from the Middle East.
"As president, my number one security goal will be to prevent the terrorists from gaining weapons of mass murder," he said. "Because al-Qaeda is a network with many branches, we must take the fight to the enemy on every continent and enlist other countries in that cause."
While vowing to set a different tone than Mr Bush, exactly how his foreign policy would deviate remained unclear. On key issues such as Iraq and Israel, they share plenty of common ground.
Senator Kerry unveiled his proposal three days after Mr Bush delivered a speech to try to ease worldwide concerns about the embattled position of the US forces in Iraq. These concerns have helped to drag Mr Bush's approval ratings to below 50 per cent, the lowest of his presidency. Surveys show Senator Kerry running level with or slightly ahead of the Republican incumbent in the race for the White House.
Yesterday's speech was to be the first of three major addresses Senator Kerry intends to deliver during the next 10 days on US national security.
Senator Kerry backed a congressional resolution which authorised the use of force in Iraq, but he has consistently accused the Bush administration of inadequately reaching out to America's allies for help.
"They looked to force before exhausting diplomacy," he told his audience. "They bullied when they should have persuaded. They have gone it alone when they should have assembled a team. It's time for President Bush to make a sustained effort, and he should start at the (NATO) summit in Istanbul (next month) by persuading NATO to accept Iraq as an alliance mission."
However, the US indicated yesterday that it would not press reluctant NATO partners to agree on a such a role.
"The stakes in Iraq could not be higher," Senator Kerry said. "If President Bush does not change course and does not secure new support from our allies, we will once again feel the consequences of a foreign policy that has divided the world instead of uniting it."
He said that the threat of terrorism demanded alliances on a global scale to help locate the extremist groups, to guard ports and stadiums, to share intelligence and to "get the terrorists before they get us".
"In short, we need a 'coalition of the able', and in truth no force on earth is more able than the United States and its allies," he added.
Senator Kerry also had a message for the terrorists the US federal authorities claimed this week were planning an attack on the United States before the November elections.
"Let there be not doubt - this country is united in its determination to destroy you," he said. "As commander-in-chief, I will bring the full force of our nation's power to bear on finding and crushing your networks."