Foreign policy debate offers voters insight

If the war on global terrorism, with Iraq as the centerpiece, is the overriding issue in this year's presidential election -- polls suggest that the American people think it is -- then Thursday night's debate between President Bush and Democratic challenger John Kerry provided voters with important insight into each one's position.
For Bush, the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, on America's mainland justify his approach to fighting terrorism around the world, which could be summed up thus: We'll lead and you follow -- if you care to.
Kerry, on the other hand, believes the United States cannot go it alone and that building alliances is essential to the successful conduct of the war. The Massachusetts senator's position is as follows: We'll lead -- but we want you beside us.
In trying to decide which position is most realistic and viable, voters should ask themselves this question: Is the United States, in particular, and the world, in general, safer today than it was on 9/11?
The president insists that it is, pointing out, as he did during the debate, that the ouster of Iraq's brutal dictator, Saddam Hussein, and the arrest of 75 percent of Osama bin Laden's leadership have seriously undermined the ability of those who would do us harm.
Unjustified adventurism?
Kerry, on the other hand, argues that because of Bush's misguided and unjustified adventurism into Iraq, terrorism now has a new breeding ground. He also contends that the administration's failure to capture or kill bin Laden, whose Al-Qaida organization was responsible for the 3,000 murdered on 9/11, has emboldened terrorists around the world.
Who's right?
True-believing Republicans, of course, will say Bush; true-believing Democrats will say Kerry. The way the undecided voters answer the question may well affect the outcome of the election. The relatively few Americans who haven't made up their minds are enormously important this year, given the closeness of the race.
While Thursday's debate was, in reality, an expanded, formal version of the Sunday morning network talk shows, the questions posed by moderator Jim Lehrer, host of "The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer" on PBS, did require the participants to go beyond their soundbite campaign stump speeches.
It was clear, at the end of the 90 minutes, that Bush is determined to stay the course he has charted, while Kerry has the ability and the knowledge, gleaned from his 20 years in the Senate, to lead this nation during this time of global unrest.
There are two more presidential debates and one debate between Vice President Dick Cheney and North Carolina Sen. John Edwards. Having candidates sharing the stage, going head-to-head is democracy at its finest. The American people should tune in.