John McCain

thank you __PUNCT__

i want to talk todai about the nation_secur challeng of our time __PUNCT__ the war which radic_islamist extremist have been wage against us for the better part of three decad __PUNCT__ and in which iraq __PUNCT__ accord to the command of our forc there __PUNCT__ gener_petraeu and our enemi __PUNCT__ is a central front __PUNCT__

my father gener successfulli fought the second world_war __PUNCT__

succeed american gener successfulli fought the cold_war __PUNCT__

and __PUNCT__ my friend __PUNCT__ we will successfulli defend ourselv against thi new and veri danger threat __PUNCT__

but as we have done in the past __PUNCT__ we must not take counsel of our fear __PUNCT__ nor avert our ey from the immin and complex of the threat __PUNCT__ nor let our will weaken becaus of the sacrific we have alreadi made and the fals assumpt and tactic mistak we have made in iraq and in the wider struggl against enemi who ar as determin to harm us as we must be to defeat them __PUNCT__

last week i wa in iraq __PUNCT__ and i saw there the connect between our effort to combat al_qaeda and the broader war on terror __PUNCT__

the final reinforc need to implement gener_petraeu __PUNCT__ new counterinsurg_strategi arriv sever week_ago __PUNCT__ and thei ar aggress take the fight to al_qaeda __PUNCT__

the u. __PUNCT__ militari __PUNCT__ in cooper with iraqi secur_forc __PUNCT__ have made dramat advanc in anbar provinc __PUNCT__ a region that last year wa wide believ to be lost to al_qaeda __PUNCT__

after an offens by u. __PUNCT__ and iraqi troop clean al qaeda fighter out of ramadi and other area of western anbar __PUNCT__ the provinc tribal sheikh broke formal with the terrorist and join the coalit side __PUNCT__

the militari is attempt to replic thi success in other part of iraq __PUNCT__ includ the area south of baghdad that have serv as haven for al qaeda and other insurg __PUNCT__

all u. __PUNCT__ soldier in the southern baghdad belt ar now __PUNCT__ live forward __PUNCT__ and command report that the local sheikh ar increasingli side with the coalit against al qaeda __PUNCT__

in baghdad __PUNCT__ the militari __PUNCT__ in cooper with iraqi secur_forc __PUNCT__ continu to establish joint secur station and deploi throughout the citi in order to get violenc under control __PUNCT__

these effort have produc posit result __PUNCT__ sectarian_violenc ha fallen sinc __DATE__ __PUNCT__ the total_number of car bomb and suicid attack declin in mai and __DATE__ __PUNCT__ and the number of local come forward with intellig tip ha risen __PUNCT__

make no mistak violenc in baghdad remain at unaccept high_level __PUNCT__ suicid_bomber and other threat pose formid challeng __PUNCT__ and other difficulti abound __PUNCT__

nevertheless __PUNCT__ there appear to be overal movement in the right direct __PUNCT__

north of baghdad __PUNCT__ iraqi and american_troop have surg into diyala provinc and ar fight to deni al_qaeda sanctuari in the citi of baqubah __PUNCT__

for the first time sinc the war_began __PUNCT__ american show up in forc and did not quickli withdraw from the area __PUNCT__

in respons __PUNCT__ local have form a new allianc with the coalit to counter al_qaeda __PUNCT__

diyala __PUNCT__ which wa the center of abu musab al __PUNCT__ zarqawi propos __PUNCT__ islam caliph __PUNCT__ final ha a chanc to turn asid the forc of extrem __PUNCT__

i note these item not to present a rosi scenario __PUNCT__ but rather to illustr the role iraq plai in the wider effort to combat al qaeda and other terrorist element __PUNCT__

now that the militari effort in iraq is show some sign of progress __PUNCT__ the space is open for polit_progress __PUNCT__

yet rather than seiz the opportun __PUNCT__ the govern of prime_minist maliki is not function as it must __PUNCT__

we see littl evid of reconcili and littl progress toward meet the benchmark laid out by the presid __PUNCT__

the iraqi_govern can function __PUNCT__ the question is whether it will __PUNCT__

if there is to be hope of a sustain end to the violenc that so plagu that countri __PUNCT__ iraqi polit_leader must seiz thi opportun __PUNCT__

it will not come around again __PUNCT__

most american onli becam acut awar of the threat from islamist extremist on __DATE__ __PUNCT__

the worst attack ever on american_soil brought out the best of america as we came togeth to defend our freedom __PUNCT__

thank to the heroism of so mani __PUNCT__ we went on the offens __PUNCT__ captur and kill terrorist all over the world __PUNCT__ root them out of their lair in afghanistan __PUNCT__ and overthrow their taliban collabor __PUNCT__

mani todai sai we ar lose the war with islam extremist __PUNCT__

i disagre __PUNCT__

we have disrupt numer plot to attack our homeland and our alli __PUNCT__

work with alli __PUNCT__ we have captur or kill score of major terrorist leader __PUNCT__

but there is much more that need to be done __PUNCT__

osama_bin_laden and hi deputi remain at larg __PUNCT__ and we cannot rest until thei ar captur or kill __PUNCT__

al_qaeda remain oper __PUNCT__ with franchis sprout around the world __PUNCT__

threat from other terrorist_group such as hama and hezbollah must be dealt with __PUNCT__

the outcom in iraq and afghanistan is uncertain __PUNCT__

todai __PUNCT__ our goal must be to effect counter the plan of our enemi not simpli with militari_forc but with all the other tool at our dispos __PUNCT__ econom __PUNCT__ diplomat __PUNCT__ polit __PUNCT__ legal __PUNCT__ and ideolog __PUNCT__

we must not onli track down and captur or kill confirm jihadist __PUNCT__ we must stop a new gener from join the fight __PUNCT__

thi long_war is not with islam but within islam __PUNCT__ a small_minor of extremist against the major of moder __PUNCT__

my administr would pour far more resourc into help moder muslim __PUNCT__ women right campaign __PUNCT__ labor_leader __PUNCT__ toler imam __PUNCT__ lawyer __PUNCT__ journalist __PUNCT__ and mani other __PUNCT__ resist a well __PUNCT__ financ campaign of extrem that is tear their societi apart __PUNCT__

we need not fear democraci in the muslim_world __PUNCT__

but there is much more to democraci than simpli vote __PUNCT__

democraci is ground in a function and imparti judiciari and polic_forc __PUNCT__ a free_press __PUNCT__ a robust polit opposit __PUNCT__ respect for women and minor right __PUNCT__ and other essenti element we often take for grant __PUNCT__

we must press friendli muslim state not simpli to open the ballot_box but to establish the build block of an open and toler societi __PUNCT__

i have propos the creation of a __PUNCT__ leagu of democraci __PUNCT__ where like __PUNCT__ mind countri can work togeth to meet common challeng __PUNCT__

such a leagu could work to promot econom_develop and polit plural in the middl_east __PUNCT__

we must also enhanc the econom_freedom of the region by establish a free_trade area to includ all state which do not sponsor terror __PUNCT__

to talk about the struggl against islam extremist is __PUNCT__ of necess __PUNCT__ to talk about our war with al_qaeda in iraq __PUNCT__

mani democrat claim thi is a conflict we cannot win __PUNCT__

thei ignor the consequ of a us defeat at the hand of al qaeda and some ignor al qaeda altogeth __PUNCT__

just thi week __PUNCT__ senat_clinton and byrd wrote an op __PUNCT__ ed about the war in iraq and never onc mention al_qaeda or the terrorist presenc in iraq __PUNCT__

foreign jihadist __PUNCT__ al qaeda oper __PUNCT__ ar respons for at least __NUM__ __PUNCT__ of the suicid_bomb that ar the drive_forc of sectarian strife __PUNCT__

thei ar in thi war to win and we cannot let them __PUNCT__

defeat will not bui peac in our time __PUNCT__

it will onli lead to more bloodshedand to more american_casualti in the futur __PUNCT__

if we choos to lose in iraq __PUNCT__ our enemi will hit us harder in afghanistan hope to erod our polit will and encourag call in western capit for withdraw and accommod with our enemi there as well __PUNCT__

there is much we need to do at home __PUNCT__

we have to make far __PUNCT__ reach reform to our govern __PUNCT__

the natur of the threat confront america chang radic between the fall of the berlin_wall and the fall of the twin_tower __PUNCT__ and yet our government structur have not kept pace __PUNCT__

no on who ha visit our servicemen and women in iraq or afghanistan can doubt their skill __PUNCT__ their braveri __PUNCT__ or their dedic __PUNCT__

but it is equal imposs to doubt that __PUNCT__ as i have said for year __PUNCT__ thei ar overstretch and under __PUNCT__ resourc __PUNCT__

i am glad to see that troop increas ar in the pipelin but current plan ar not enough __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i would bring the armi and marin from the current plan level of roughli___NUM__ to __NUM__ __PUNCT__

thi will cost real monei __PUNCT__ some __MONEY___billion annual __PUNCT__ but it will not requir a draft ani more than similar level did in the 1980 __PUNCT__

it is vital_import for the next presid to issu a call to servic __PUNCT__ to summon the young_men and women of america to defend their countri and it nobl ideal __PUNCT__

i am confid that thi gener will answer the summon just as so mani of us did in previou_gener __PUNCT__

along with more personnel __PUNCT__ the militari will requir addit equip for the expand forc __PUNCT__ to modern for the futur __PUNCT__ and to make up for loss suffer in the current war __PUNCT__

we can partial offset some of thi addit invest by cut wast feder_spend __PUNCT__ includ unnecessari pentagon program and an often dysfunct procur system __PUNCT__

but we can also afford to spend more on our defens __PUNCT__

our defens_budget current consum less than __NUM___cent of everi dollar that our boom economi gener __PUNCT__ far less than we spent dure the cold_war __PUNCT__

while we enlarg the arm_forc __PUNCT__ we must also transform them __PUNCT__

to a larg_extent __PUNCT__ our militari is still configur to fight enemi that no longer_exist __PUNCT__

our stealth bomber __PUNCT__ aircraft_carrier __PUNCT__ and nuclear submarin mai make the differ in a futur conflict __PUNCT__ but thei do littl to win our current struggl against terrorist from the horn of africa to the hindu kush __PUNCT__

what we need todai ar more soldier and more civilian with the right kind of skill to fight a global counterinsurg __PUNCT__

the bulk of our effort must be direct toward help friendli govern and their secur_forc to resist our common foe __PUNCT__

toward that end __PUNCT__ i would immedi implement an idea offer by lieuten colonel john nagl __PUNCT__ a veteran of iraq and on of the armi brightest strateg thinker __PUNCT__

we should creat an armi advisor corp with __NUM___soldier that would work with friendli militari abroad __PUNCT__

i would increas the number of personnel in inform oper __PUNCT__ special_forc __PUNCT__ civil affair __PUNCT__ militari polic __PUNCT__ militari_intellig __PUNCT__ and other disciplin __PUNCT__

we must strive to enhanc our understand of foreign cultur __PUNCT__ the human terrain on which we fight __PUNCT__

we need to launch a crash program in both civilian and militari school to increas the number of expert in strateg languag such as arab and pashto __PUNCT__

we need to requir student at our servic academi to spend_time studi abroad __PUNCT__

and we need to enhanc the foreign area career field within the militari while creat a new field in strateg interrog __PUNCT__

in thi wai we could produc more interrog who can attain critic knowledg from detaine us advanc psycholog techniqu and not the kind of repugn tactic that ar rightli prohibit by the geneva_convent __PUNCT__

even as we increas our militari capac __PUNCT__ we must also increas our civilian capac so that an undu_burden doe not again fall on our soldier as it ha in afghanistan and iraq __PUNCT__ where the civilian agenc of our govern have too often been miss in action __PUNCT__

the state_depart and other agenc need to enhanc their abil to send more expert to rebuild war __PUNCT__ torn land __PUNCT__ or __PUNCT__ better still __PUNCT__ bolster peac develop to reduc the chanc of war break out in the first place __PUNCT__

to better coordin our dispar effort __PUNCT__ i would ask congress for a civilian follow __PUNCT__ on to the __NUM__ goldwat __PUNCT__ nichol act which foster a cultur of joint oper within the separ militari_servic __PUNCT__

todai we need similar legisl to ensur that civil_servant and soldier train and work togeth in peacetim so that thei can cooper effect in wartim and in postwar reconstruct __PUNCT__

as presid __PUNCT__ i would revit our public diplomaci __PUNCT__

in __NUM__ the clinton_administr and congress agre to abolish the unit_state inform agenc and put it public diplomaci function insid the state_depart __PUNCT__

thi wa a mistak __PUNCT__

dismantl an agenc dedic to promot america messag amount to unilater disarma in the struggl of idea __PUNCT__

commun our govern view on dai __PUNCT__ to __PUNCT__ dai issu is what the state depart doe __PUNCT__

but commun the idea of america __PUNCT__ our purpos __PUNCT__ our past and our futur is a differ task __PUNCT__

we need to re __PUNCT__ creat an independ agenc with the sole_purpos of get america messag to the world __PUNCT__ a critic element in combat islam_extrem __PUNCT__

we also need to develop a deploy polic_presenc to __PUNCT__ when necessari __PUNCT__ help maintain law and order where it is lack __PUNCT__ and to train foreign polic_forc to counter islam_extrem and other threat __PUNCT__

in the end __PUNCT__ dollar __PUNCT__ expert __PUNCT__ and polic must work togeth to address the interrel issu of polit_freedom __PUNCT__ good_govern __PUNCT__ and econom_develop __PUNCT__

i would also set up a new civil __PUNCT__ militari agenc pattern after the offic of strateg servic in world_war_ii __PUNCT__

a modern __PUNCT__ dai oss could draw togeth unconvent warfar __PUNCT__ civil __PUNCT__ affair __PUNCT__ paramilitari and psycholog __PUNCT__ warfar specialist from the militari togeth with covert __PUNCT__ action oper from our intellig_agenc and expert in anthropolog __PUNCT__ advertis __PUNCT__ foreign cultur __PUNCT__ and numer other disciplin from insid and outsid govern __PUNCT__

in the spirit of the origin oss __PUNCT__ thi would be a small __PUNCT__ nimbl __PUNCT__ can __PUNCT__ do organ that would fight terrorist subvers across the world and in cyberspac __PUNCT__

it could take risk that our bureaucraci todai ar afraid to take __PUNCT__ risk such as infiltr agent who lack diplomat cover into terrorist_organ __PUNCT__

it could even lead in the front __PUNCT__ line effort to rebuild fail_state __PUNCT__

a cadr of such undercov oper would allow us to gain the intelligen ce on terrorist_activ that we don't get todai from our high __PUNCT__ tech surveil system and from a cia clandestin servic that work almost entir out of our embassi abroad __PUNCT__

these ar not measur that will pai quick dividend __PUNCT__

we must understand that we confront a lengthi struggl __PUNCT__ a long_war __PUNCT__ that will not be won quickli or easili __PUNCT__

but we will win it __PUNCT__

while our ultim victori is not in doubt __PUNCT__ the length and intens of thi struggl remain to be determin __PUNCT__

it up to us __PUNCT__

we have histor import choic to make __PUNCT__ all of us __PUNCT__ the american_peopl __PUNCT__ their presid __PUNCT__ and their member of congress __PUNCT__

we must recogn that our enemi ar in thi fight to win __PUNCT__ and so must we be __PUNCT__

we must us our strength __PUNCT__ our resourc __PUNCT__ our invent and our fortitud __PUNCT__ qualiti that have distinguish us through histori and which have never fail us __PUNCT__ to defeat our unpardon foe __PUNCT__

we must act boldli and with confid that histori ha not yet assign us a challeng that we cannot meet successfulli __PUNCT__

though we regret the mistak we have made in thi war __PUNCT__ thei must not caus us self doubt __PUNCT__

we must learn from them __PUNCT__ as american have alwai learn from our mistak __PUNCT__ and fight smarter and harder __PUNCT__

though we mourn the loss we have alreadi incur in thi war __PUNCT__ we m ust not let our grief weari us so that we cannot do the work that is our to do __PUNCT__

these ar the decis confront american_voter in thi elect __PUNCT__ and thei will confront the person you elect_presid __PUNCT__

in __DATE__ __PUNCT__ __NUM__ the american_peopl will decid with their vote how and where thi war will be fought or if it will be fought at all __PUNCT__

i have told you how i intend to fight thi war __PUNCT__

other candid will argu for a differ cours __PUNCT__

democrat_candid for presid will argu for the cours of cut our loss and withdraw from the threat in the vain hope it will not follow us here __PUNCT__

i cannot join them in such wish and veri danger think __PUNCT__

peac at ani price is an illus and it cost ar alwai more tragic than the sacrific victori requir __PUNCT__

i will stand where i stand todai and trust you to give me a fair hear __PUNCT__

there is too much at stake in thi elect for ani candid to do less __PUNCT__

thank you __PUNCT__