Bush touts security gains on his watch

CARLISLE, Pa., Dec. 17 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush laid out his case Wednesday that actions his administration took during the past seven years kept America safe from terrorists.

Speaking at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pa., Bush said he took a "deliberate and comprehensive approach" to preventing terrorism since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, combining military action overseas and defensive actions at home.

In his post-Sept. 11 approach, Bush said, "we used all elements of our national power to keep America safe at home, the understanding that we needed to take the fight to the enemy abroad, and the idea of promoting liberty as the alternative to terror."

When outlining the strategy his administration pursued to keep the United States safe, Bush noted the results achieved and the institutions in place for future presidents "to carry on this struggle."

Bush said he recognizes his decision to fight terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq sparked debate, "there can be no debate about the results in keeping America safe."

Bush said he is leaving future presidents an upgraded network of homeland defenses, coordinated by the new Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security. In addition, a revamped intelligence community has new tools "for staying one step ahead of our enemies," he said.

He said his administration also is leaving behind new technologies and resources for the military "to keep the pressure on the enemy."

"And finally," Bush said, "we leave behind an unprecedented commitment to extending the reach of liberty and democracy."