…is a good offense. That aphorism came to mind as we read Senator Kerry’s latest idea, which is that the September 11 panel should become a regular government watchdog, issuing status reports every six months. This is a sorry excuse for foreign policy from a man who wants to be president. A better leader would recognize the priority of emboldening the president, not of hamstringing him with yet more watchdogs and second-guessers. The September 11 Commission, moreover, was concerned primarily with our defensive posture, but the war is going to be won by offensive measures, by taking this fight to the enemy’s ground.

That is what is taking place in the Battle of Iraq, where American forces have not only toppled Saddam Hussein’s regime, but have also drawn out enemy fighters and engaged them far from America’s shores.

The missing element in Mr. Kerry’s foreign policy is not how vigilant he is going to be in overseeing our intelligence agencies, but how bold and forceful he will be in confronting our adversaries.

President Clinton, in his speech to Democrats on Monday, noted that we live in a world where “we can’t kill, jail, or occupy all our potential adversaries.” He meant that as a criticism of President Bush, but it’s precisely the reason why Mr. Bush has emphasized the promotion of democracy abroad. Weapons in the hands of democratic states such as Britain, France, or Israel don’t threaten American security, in contrast to, let’s say, a nuclear armed Iran. By actively promoting political reform in the Middle East, Mr. Bush hopes to reduce the need for future wars. It’s Mr. Kerry who has advanced the more naïve goal of enforcing a disarmament and inspection regime across the globe. He has said that disarmament would be his “number one security goal,” but that he would deemphasize democracy as a foreign policy aim.

Mr. Kerry’s goal for Iraq is stability “whether or not that’s a full democracy,” as he told a town hall meeting in April. A foreign policy adviser to Mr. Kerry, Rand Beers, has said,”We have been concerned for some time that Bush’s position about having some kind of democratic state was too heroic.”The Kerry position represents “a step toward Kissingerian realism,” as the director of Human Rights Watch, Kenneth Roth, put it.

So some cocked an eyebrow when Mr. Kerry’s wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, took the podium at the Democratic convention and spoke about American principles. “I have a very personal feeling about how special America is, and I know how precious freedom is,”she said.”There is a value in taking a stand…whether or not it is a risky thing to do. And if even those who are in danger can raise their lonely voices, isn’t more required of all of us, in this land where liberty had her birth?”

Mrs. Kerry seems to understand the boldness required of America. We hope she explains it to her husband the next time $87 billion is needed by American GIs with their lives on the line.