To keep us secure, Obama should follow Bush’s playbook

After remaining out of the spotlight for the past two years, former President George W. Bush has been making the rounds to promote the release of his memoir, “Decision Points.”

While I haven’t read the book and probably won’t, I’ve been surprisingly impressed by Bush’s interviews. I applaud him for continuing to speak out for what is right and defending this country’s homeland security tactics.

Now let’s fast-forward to the Obama presidency. As this nation celebrated Veterans Day, an American tradition when we honor the sacrifices and courage of those who have proudly served and continue to serve this country, our commander in chief was nowhere to be found. Instead of being on American soil, Obama elected to be in Indonesia, speaking on American-Islam relations.

While I’m sure that our president appreciates our veterans, he continues to send the wrong message regarding our nation’s counterterrorism policies. Thankfully, with the recent shift of power in Congress, our congressman, Peter King, himself a critic of the Obama administration, will once again be named chairman of the Homeland Security Committee.

The president and House Republicans have different opinions concerning matters of homeland security. Homeland security is the most important initiative of this nation and, as such, requires bipartisan efforts. Al Qaeda and Taliban forces have grown rapidly around the world, spreading into Pakistan and Yemen. Recently they’ve successfully recruited home-grown U.S. citizens to continue their attacks on our own soil. We’re more vulnerable than ever.

I’ve questioned several of the decisions this administration has made regarding our national security. Let’s not forget that it was Obama who announced his intention to move the trials of the 9/11 masterminds to New York City. If the 9/11 trials took place in a Manhattan District Court, it would put the city at great risk for another devastating attack.

He also attempted to fulfill a campaign pledge to close the Guantanamo Bay facility. The treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Bay has been heavily debated by Congress and ridiculed by our liberal media.

Closing Guantanamo Bay and bringing terrorists onto American soil, or returning them to jails in their native countries, would be a travesty. Why should we reward these cowards with civilian trials? On the flip side, jailing them in their native countries allows them the opportunity to continue infiltrating terrorist cells. Keeping Guantanamo Bay open ensures that these men will no longer have the capacity to successfully organize another terrorist attack.

After taking office, Obama also banned waterboarding as an interrogation technique for terror suspects, yet another detrimental lapse in judgment.

During the Bush presidency, several Democrats called for hearings and prosecutions of administration officials they deemed responsible for waterboarding, comparing them to the Nazis at Nuremberg. But waterboarding has led to valuable information that gave us advantages against our enemies. The information processed has led to successful missions against Al Qaeda and Taliban forces.

In regard to waterboarding, King said, “There was no harm done. In the big picture, to hold someone’s head underwater, the chance of permanent damage is minimal and the rewards are great.” Should we abandon a technique that has saved lives?

It was reported that in his memoir, Bush recounts that the use of waterboarding as an interrogation technique yielded information on Al Qaeda’s structure and operations and led to the captures of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, a high-ranking Al Qaeda member who has confessed to his role in numerous terror attacks, including both attacks on the World Trade Center, and Ramzi bin al-Shibh, who aided Mohammed in the logistical planning of the 9/11 attacks. Not to mention, we gained information that made it possible to thwart Al Qaeda attacks on Heathrow Airport and Canary Wharf in London.

New York remains the No. 1 target of terrorist organizations around the world, and yet the Obama administration cut New York’s federal grants for mass transit and port security by 25 percent. We must gain back that funding to ensure the safety of the people of this state. I’m confident that King will lead the charge.

Terrorist factions will continue to morph and attempt attacks on our freedoms until they’re successful. We need this country’s leaders to come together, put political ideologies aside and do what’s best for the safety of our nation.

Al D’Amato, a former U.S. senator from New York, is the founder of Park Strategies LLC, a public policy and business development firm. Comments about this column? ADAmato@liherald.com.