Homeland security--the war is over there.

• Author: Farrell, Lawrence P., Jr.
• Position: President' Sperspective

Since the U.S. war on terrorism began nearly 18 months ago, we often have heard people lament that, in this fight, the combat zone--unlike in previous conflicts--is not in faraway places, but in our own homeland.

That may be true in the sense that our enemies clearly are aiming for U.S.-based targets and centers of influence. And, to be sure, there is much tightening up we need to do inside our borders--airline security, immigration control, border and port safety, to name just a few items. But the fact that we are being attacked at home should not lead us to mistakenly assume that the war will be fought and won here, on our turf.

We need to continually remind ourselves that in any campaign, playing defense alone is insufficient. To win this most unconventional war, the nation will need to do more than beef up its border security and root out home-grown terrorist cells. In short, to beat the terrorists--as would be the case against a more conventional enemy--the United States must take the fight to the enemy's back yard.

The history of warfare, and indeed our own experience, makes it clear that winners are the ones who take the fight successfully to the enemy. U.S. successes in armed conflict have come as a result of effectively projecting power. Our weapons reflect this principle, as they are developed as offensive systems, designed to penetrate, survive and win on the enemy's side of the battle line. All of the favorable outcomes we have enjoyed applied this axiom. When we ignored it, as in Vietnam, when we decided to keep ground action on our side of the line, the results were not favorable. Fighting only on one's own side of the line--from a defensive posture--gives the initiative to the enemy. No matter how many times you throw them back from the gates, they are always able to regroup at their leisure and come at you again. Eventually, they win.

This is an important issue to ponder, as policy makers, legislators and military experts continue to debate the merits of the U.S. national defense strategy and military posture.

In the 2001 Quadrennial Defense Review, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld wrote that the war that began on 9/11 "was brought violently and brutally to America's shores by the evil forces of terror." The QDR makes the case that it's nearly impossible to predict when and where America's interests will be threatened next. That is why the ability to project power and deter aggression is so important.

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