From Amy Zalman, Ph.D.,
Your Guide to Terrorism Issues.
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^{For more 2008 candidates' views, see: 2008 Candidates on Terrorism, Iraq and Homeland Security}

Campaign Status:

As of late February, 2007, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) had formed a presidential exploratory committee, appointed Cisco Systems Chairman John Chambers to serve as its national co-chair, as well as technology and economics advisor, and embarked on a full schedule of nationwide town hall meetings.

Also see:

• John McCain, 2008 Presidential Race (U.S. Politics, Kathy Gill)

War on Terrorism:

McCain believes that "violent Islamist extremism," especially as manifested in Al Qaeda, represents a signifcant threat to U.S. security, and that the primary way to address it is through vigilance, and direct and indirect confrontation, as necessary, between the United States and this enemy:

America faces a dedicated, focused, and intelligent foe in the war on terrorism. This enemy will probe tto find America's weaknesses and strike against them. The United States cannot afford to be complacent about the threat, naive about terrorist intentions, unrealistic about their capabilities, or ignorant to our national vulnerabilities.

McCain advocates high tech solutions to increase military capabilities, such as missile defense and other advanced weapons systems, an increase in the size of the U.S. armed forces, and doctrinal change to confront 21st century warfare. Many of his ideas for reform echo those of former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and others in the defense establishment who advocate (as McCain does, on his website), "a new mix of military forces, including civil affairs, special operations, and highly mobile forces …"

War in Iraq

Sen. McCain has been an unyielding supporter of the U.S. war in Iraq and of the continued presence of U.S. troops there. In keeping with the Bush Administration, McCain uses the language of "success" and "failure" to frame his view. He also makes it clear that he sees the war in Iraq as a front in the war on terrorism: Speaking at a town hall meeting with Des Moines, Iowa, residents on February 17, 2007, McCain stated what he sees as the stakes:

I know how tough it is for the American people, I know how frustrated Americans are, I understand your frustration … But I also want to tell you htat I believe if we fail, the consequences of failure are catastrophic. If we leave Iraq, they are going to follow us home.

While vague in his statement, McCain appears to mean that "they" are terrorist groups who will pursue the U.S. wherever they are, even if they go home. McCain has been critical of the United States in the last four years for not having sent more troops to iraq.

Also see:

• The Iraq War and Terrorism in Iraq, A Timeline
• Robert Reich Speculates on McCain's Iraq Position

Homeland Security

McCain issues relatively few statements phrased in terms of the domestic side of homeland security. Rather, he addresses defense issues, the war in Iraq, and the need for using foreign policy and military action globally to maintain national security.

The Arizona senator has played a vocal role in illegal immigration reform, and participated in the "Independent Task Force on Immigration and America's Future." It recommendations, issued in September 2006, suggested new processes and technologies to monitor U.S. national borders, and the people passing through them.

For more on McCain's views, See:

• Sen. McCain's Civil Liberties Positions (Civil Liberties, Tom Head)
• Sen. McCain's Foreign Policy Positions (U.S. Foreign Policy, Keith Porter)