The world is an inherently dangerous place.  There are people across the globe that look to do harm to others in creative and cruel ways. Human history is checkered with violence and wicked motivations from all sorts of people. This is not a morbid outlook but a realistic mindset that requires a response.
   Most students in the freshman class from this past fall would’ve been in the first grade on Sept. 11, 2001. Since that watershed day, our nation’s national security policy and foreign obligations have undergone a paradigm shift. While I am not arguing that today’s foreign policy should reflect that of Sept. 12, 2001, I am worried that our nation’s attention to threats abroad does not get the consideration it deserves.
   In the last few years, there has been no shortage of threats to our national security.  On May 1, 2010, Faisal Shahzad, a Pakastani-American citizen, attempted to blow up a 1993 Nissan Pathfinder in the middle of Times Square. On Sept. 11, 2011, our embassy in Benghazi, Libya was subject to an organized terrorist attack, and four Americans were killed, including our Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens.
   The civil war in Syria, which has now been raging for nearly four years, is now a serious humanitarian crisis and strategic threat in the region. Testifying in early March about Syria, United States of America Army General Lloyd Austin, who is head of the U.S. Central Command, told the House Armed Service Committee that if it is “allowed to continue unabated, it will likely result in a region-wide conflict lasting a decade or more.”
     These are just a few examples of real-time hazards that have taken a back seat to other issues. The U.S. must remain vigilant if it wats to prevent another major catastrophe. One recent unsettling announcement is that the Obama administration plans to cut the Army to its smallest size since before World War II. This type of budget manipulation coupled with an apparent lack of a comprehensive foreign policy strategy, especially in the Middle East, is troubling.
   This administration must do several things to bolster American capabilities to protect the homeland and secure American interests abroad. First, a security agreement with President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan must be reached. Without a bilateral agreement, the results could be catastrophic. The Afghan National Security Force (ANSF) absolutely depends on American intelligence, logistics and surveillance. If the U.S. leaves outright, the ANSF will surely crumble in its infancy. The agreement is vital if we are to sustain the gains we have made in Afghanistan over the last decade. Without it, we could recreate a dangerous power vacuum and grant safe havens for al Qaeda.
   Second, we must do what we can to bring the perpetrators of the Sept. 11, 2011 Benghazi attacks to justice. Our ambassador was murdered in cold blood, and we did nothing to respond. Whether or not you subscribe to the idea that there was some sort of cover up in the aftermath of the attack, the lack of retort on any level emboldens our enemies in the region.
   Finally, the administration must reevaluate the current state of sanctions relief with Iran agreed on Jan. 20. Again, on March 5, the Israeli Defense Force announced it had intercepted a shipment of M-302 missiles bound for terrorist organizations in Gaza and blamed Iran for sending the cargo. We must regain the lead in the relationship and demand change from Iran.  Regimes that sponsor terrorism should not be allowed to enrich uranium. The sanctions relief must be taken off of the table until we demand their cooperation with the problems they are causing in the region.
    We have a responsibility to lead internationally, and we must remain alert to maintain our standing abroad.