In a post-9/11 world, national security has become an issue that concerns and affects all Americans. Unfortunately, mainstream media and policy makers have created an environment of equating national security issues to the American Muslim community. To this end, we have seen high profile cases of spying on the American Muslim community by law enforcement. Intelligence sharing has gone to a new level of introducing agencies whose mandates are in the foreign realm into our domestic policies. 

Additionally, the United States military is present in other countries. Equipping our troops with the most up-to-date weapons is not the only solution to showing military might. America’s national security depends on her positive image around the world.

 President Barack Obama:

1. Democrats are committed to ensuring that our troops have the training, equipment the support they need when they are deployed and the care they and their families need when they return home.

2. Democrats and Obama are focused on preventing terrorism across the globe.

This means continuing to invest heavily in intelligence and information sharing and promoting those networks among our allies.

Democrats “will continue to strengthen our ability to keep nuclear and biological weapons out of the hands of terrorists, address efforts to better ensure border security and augment defense of our national infrastructure.

3. Obama has made significant steps to restore America’s image around the world by rebuilding strategic alliances with countries that share American values and face common threats.

4. “Improve Intelligence Capacity and Information Sharing

Gathering, analyzing, and effectively sharing intelligence is vital to the security of the United States. In order to prevent threats, including those from terrorism, we will strengthen intelligence collection to identify and interdict those who intend to do us harm. The information we collect must be analyzed as well as shared, and we must invest in our analytic capabilities and our capacity to share intelligence across all levels of government. As we grow our intelligence capabilities, the President is also committed to strengthening efforts to protect the privacy and civil rights of all Americans.

5. “Promote the Resiliency of our Physical and Social Infrastructure

Ensuring the resilience of our critical infrastructure is vital to homeland security. Working with the private sector and government partners at all levels will develop an effective, holistic, critical infrastructure protection and resiliency plan that centers on invest¬ments in business, technology, civil society, government, and education. We will invest in our Nation's most pressing short and long-term infrastructure needs, including modernizing our electrical grid; upgrading our highway, rail, maritime, and aviation infrastructure; enhancing security within our chemical and nuclear sectors; and safeguarding the public transportation systems that Americans use every day.”

(Source: http://www.democrats.org/issues/national_security)

Republican Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney:

 1. The best way to approach national defense is peace through strength- an enduring peace, based on freedom and the will to defend it.

This includes defending America’s homeland, including remaining vigilant in confronting global terrorism, maintaining a robust defense against threats arising from nuclear proliferation, including a strong ballistic missile defense for America and our allies and promoting an effective, capable intelligence community.

2. The full commitment to America’s Armed Forces to ensure they are modern, agile and adaptable to the unpredictable range of challenges in the years ahead is also emphasized.

(Source: http://www.gop.com/index.php/issues/issues/)