In 1993, terrorists truck-bombed the World Trade Center, killing six people. Our police and FBI worked with cops around the globe to find and arrest the bombers. By 1997, the bombers were in jail. Until 2000, we "profiled" international travelers. George W. Bush ended that. In 2001, 19 terrorists easily passed by Bush's ineffective airport security and destroyed the Twin Towers. We fought back with soldiers this time, not police. How's that working out?
The lesson is unrelentingly clear. Border security is both the most effective protection against terrorism and the cheapest. Police work after the fact is second. Open borders at home plus land warfare in central Asia are a disaster — yet that was the Bush policy and remains the Obama policy.
If we moved our 400,000 troops from Iraq and Afghanistan to the United States, they could help secure our borders, coasts and ports. That move would prevent terrorism on our soil while also lowering costs, helping prevent other crimes and saving the lives and limbs of our troops.
Steve Setzer
Springville