Despite the change in public attitudes driven by the acceleration of violence and chaos in Iraq, high-ranking Democrats continue to believe that a "tough" approach to national security is their best bet for winning elections. Because of this misconception, their recently released plan for "Real Security" fails to make the decisions needed to produce a smarter, more effective defense policy.

Rather than hedge their bets out of fear of being labeled "soft" on defense, Democrats should distinguish themselves from the Bush Administration by setting a date for withdrawal from Iraq. They should also take a broader view of security, one promoting the notion that the government's job is to protect its citizens from all major threats, whether they emanate from terrorism, epidemics, natural disasters, environmental degradation or entrenched poverty.

Instead, one of the most touted elements of the Democrats' new plan is their pledge to "eliminate Osama bin Laden [and] destroy terrorist networks like Al Qaeda."

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