LEARN TO LEAD - Civil Air Patrol

within our borders has always been the source of ourstrength, and this is even truer in an age of interconnection.First and foremost, we must renew the foundation ofAmerica’s strength. In the long run, the welfare of theAmerican people will determine America’s strength inthe world, particularly at a time when our own economyis inextricably linked to the global economy. Our prosperityserves as a wellspring for our power. It pays for ourmilitary, underwrites our diplomacy and developmentefforts, and serves as a leading source of our influence inthe world. Moreover, our trade and investment supportsmillions of American jobs, forges links among countries,spurs global development, and contributes to a stable andpeaceful political and economic environment.Yet even as we have maintained our military advantage,our competitiveness has been set back in recent years. Weare recovering from underinvestment in the areas that arecentral to America’s strength. We have not adequatelyadvanced priorities like education, energy, science andtechnology, and health care—all of which are essential toU.S. competitiveness, long-term prosperity, and strength.Years of rising fiscal and trade deficits will also necessitatehard choices in the years ahead.That is why we are rebuilding our economy so that it willserve as an engine of opportunity for the American people,and a source of American influence abroad. The UnitedStates must ensure that we have the world’s best-educatedworkforce, a private sector that fosters innovation, andcitizens and busi-nesses that can access affordable healthcare to compete in a globalized economy. We must transformthe way that we use energy—diversifying supplies,investing in innovation, and deploying clean energy technologies.By doing so, we will enhance energy security,create jobs, and fight climate change.Rebuilding our economy must include putting ourselveson a fiscally sustainable path. As such, imple-menting ournational security strategy will require a disciplined approachto setting priorities and mak¬ing tradeoffs among competingprograms and activities. Taken together, these efforts willposition our nation for success in the global marketplace,while also supporting our national security capacity—thestrength of our military, intelligence, diplomacy and development,and the security and resilience of our homeland.We are now moving beyond traditional distinctions betweenhomeland and national security. National securitydraws on the strength and resilience of our citizens, communities,and economy. This includes a determination toprevent terrorist attacks against the American people byfully coordinating the actions that we take abroad withthe actions and precautions that we take at home. It mustalso include a com-mitment to building a more secureand resilient nation, while maintaining open flows ofgoods and people. We will continue to develop the capacityto address the threats and hazards that confront us,while redeveloping our infrastructure to secure our peopleand work cooperatively with other nations.America’s example is also a critical component of ourfoundation. The human rights which America has stoodfor since our founding have enabled our leadership, provideda source of inspiration for peoples around theworld, and drawn a clear contrast between the UnitedStates and our democratic allies, and those nations andindividuals that deny or suppress human rights. Our effortsto live our own values, and uphold the principles of democracyin our own society, underpin our support for theaspirations of the oppressed abroad, who know they canturn to America for leadership based on justice and hope.Our moral leadership is grounded principally in thepower of our example—not through an effort to imposeour system on other peoples. Yet over the years, somemethods employed in pursuit of our security have compromisedour fidelity to the values that we promote, andour leadership on their behalf. This undercuts our abilityto support democratic movements abroad, challenge nationsthat violate international human rights norms, and applyour broader leadership for good in the world. That is whywe will lead on behalf of our values by living them. Ourstruggle to stay true to our values and Constitution hasalways been a lodestar, both to the American people andto those who share our aspiration for human dignity.Our values have allowed us to draw the best and brightestto our shores, to inspire those who share our cause abroad,and to give us the credibility to stand up to tyranny.America must demonstrate through words and deeds theresilience of our values and Constitution. For if we compromiseour values in pur¬suit of security, we will undermineboth; if we fortify them, we will sustain a key sourceof our strength and leadership in the world—one that setsus apart from our enemies and our potential competitors.Pursuing Comprehensive EngagementOur foundation will support our efforts to engage nations,institutions, and peoples around the world on the basis ofmutual interests and mutual respect.Engagement is the active participation of the UnitedStates in relationships beyond our borders. It is, quitesimply, the opposite of a self-imposed isolation that deniesus the ability to shape outcomes. Indeed, America hasnever succeeded through isolationism. As the nation that18