The federal government does many things. It pays farmers to grow?or not grow?crops. It racks up huge bills for pork-barrel items ranging from bike paths to tattoo removal. It even runs programs that hand out condoms to high-school children.

The list goes on and on. Small wonder the federal government spent $20,000 per household last year.

But there?s one important job it?s supposed to be doing: Protecting us from foreign threats. That?s why we should give credit where it is due.

The leadership of President Bush and his foreign policy team has made us safer today than we were last year?and far safer than we were on Sept. 10, 2001.

Consider these accomplishments:

· Osama bin Laden is hiding in a cave, whispering idle threats into a tape recorder.

· Saddam Hussein is out of power and in custody.

· Afghanistan soon will elect a democratic government.

· Libya has agreed to end its nuclear weapons program.

· India and Pakistan say they are committed to a peaceful resolution of their differences.

All these represent important steps toward a more secure world. And they all happened because the United States showed international leadership and projected power.

Our friends on the left take a slightly different view. Continued...