I look forward to having Feingold with a louder voice. Hopefully we'll soon have a better approach to our national defense than "bring 'em on" and waterboarding.
A week after announcing he won't seek the presidency in 2008, Feingold opened his speech in self-deprecating fashion, noting that television talk show host Conan O'Brien had covered the news by joking that he "didn't know anybody had asked" about a potential Feingold run for the White House.
But Feingold's tone soon turned somber and even uneasy.
He used a map of the world, and a silver pointer, to lead his listeners at Monona Terrace on a tour of the post-9/11 landscape - one that he believes harbors increasing danger for America.
While too many U.S. resources are being expended in Iraq, a war that Feingold has always opposed, terrorism threats are growing in more than 80 nations in Africa, Asia and elsewhere, Feingold warned his listeners at the event sponsored by the Madison Civics Club. The nonprofit group focuses on educating residents about their community and world.
"Al-Qaida likes it that we are stuck in Iraq," said Feingold, who has called for withdrawing U.S. troops. "It plays into their plans."
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Terrorism threats
Among the nations that pose a terrorism threat, Feingold said, are Indonesia, Kenya, Malaysia, the Philippines, Mali, Thailand, Somalia, Saudia Arabia, Syria, Iran and Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, the Taliban are regaining power and Osama Bin Laden could conceivably become free to once again roam freely, as he did before the U.S.-led invasion.
In Indonesia, for example, the terrorist organization Jemaah Islamiyah , or J.I., is affiliated with al-Qaida, yet Americans and their government remain oblivious to the critical perils posed by the group, Feingold said.
He said he was warmly welcomed by the U.S. ambassador there in February, who said Feingold was only the second senator to visit the nation in the past three years. Feingold said he's glad President Bush is visiting Indonesia.
And Feingold's pointer turned toward Africa.
"You ask the real experts on this (terrorism), they will talk about Africa," Feingold said.
He noted that Somalia now is headed by a fundamentalist Islamic government that could develop dangerous ties to al- Qaida and become a haven for terrorists.
Suspects from Morocco and Algeria have been arrested for bombings carried out in European cities, Feingold said, encouraging his listeners to view the world as an interconnected - and dangerous - place.
"There's an unbelievable number of things we have to address," said Feingold, who said he's thrilled about his upcoming work on four committees - foreign relations, intelligence, judiciary and budget - in a Democrat-led Congress.
America's most pressing challenge in the coming years, he said, is dealing with issues raised by the 9/11 attacks.
"Our own security . . . will depend on if we can truly figure out how to become more close to the family of nations and people around the world," Feingold said to applause.
"Such a mission was always an ideal. On 9/11 it became a necessity."
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Citizens of the world
Feingold, a Rhodes scholar, acknowledged that he knew little about Africa when he was first elected to the Senate in 1992. He also said that he has failed to learn any foreign languages.
But he now realizes Americans and their government must become better citizens of the world, even as they struggle with issues such as health care, energy, education, the environment, immigration and the minimum wage.
They must find ways to connect with other nations, and their citizens, to help reverse the spread of conditions that foster terrorism, Feingold said.
"This gets dizzying, I know, but it is my intention to continue talking about how these things are interrelated."
The U.S. government, he said, continues to engage in too much infighting, as agencies such as the State and Defense departments quarrel over turf rather than focus on solutions.
The nation must become smarter, too, about how it deploys its military, Feingold said.
"Our military is in deep, deep trouble," Feingold said.
At home, he said, Americans must nurture connections with Muslim residents, rather than ostracize them, and must understand how Muslim Americans in turn can build bridges to moderate Muslims around the globe.
Feingold called on the Bush administration to appoint a special envoy to work full time to seek peace in the Middle East.
The crowd responded with a standing ovation at the end of the 25-minute speech and again after he answered questions.
In an interview, Feingold said the world has become more dangerous in the past five years, as al-Qaida has expanded its ties to groups in other nations, such as Algeria, and "copycat" terrorism has shaken Madrid and London.
Feingold said he's developing a plan for the U.S. government to become a clearinghouse - and possibly a greater financial backer - for programs that help Americans reach out to nations around the world.
"It's something that's very hard," Feingold said.
