This year, U.S. citizens are facing a tough choice about the type of leadership they want for our country. In our ever-changing, post-

9-11 world, President Bush has shown the kind of principled leadership that U.S. citizens have come to expect. From the war on terrorism to tort reform, President Bush’s conduct in office and plans for the future make him the right candidate to trust with four more years in the White House.

We all remember the tragic days immediately following Sept. 11, 2001. For the first time, we realized our nation was not immune from attack. We needed a strong leader to calm our fears at home and pursue our attackers abroad. President Bush proved himself to be that leader. He vowed to lead the country through a war that was thrust upon us and to secure peace for our nation. Two weeks after the terror attacks, President Bush sent U.S. troops into Afghanistan to take on terrorism at its base. Today, two-thirds of al-Qaida members have been brought to justice, and the rest no longer have the luxury of using Afghanistan as a base of operations.

The president’s decision to send U.S. soldiers into Iraq was not an easy one. Intelligence corroborated by the British and Russians suggested that Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship was seeking to build weapons of mass destruction that could have been used against the United States and its allies. Despite setbacks, few can argue that the world is not better off today with Saddam Hussein removed from power. Iraq is moving rapidly toward becoming a democracy and a beacon of hope for its Middle Eastern neighbors.

As an added result, the president’s foreign policy has resulted in Libya finally ending its WMD programs. Nontraditional alliances with valuable countries such as Pakistan and Poland have been encouraged and developed. The world knows that with President Bush in office, they have a committed ally in the war on terrorism.

Domestically, the president pursued policies that brought an end to a strong recession. Tax cuts for all U.S. citizens helped encourage investment and consumer spending.

The GDP has been growing to record levels and unemployment is at its lowest levels in almost four decades. On health care, the president has worked aggressively for tort reform that would drive down health-care costs. Finally, the president’s No Child Left Behind Act has improved education for students across the country.

President Bush’s four years of accomplishment and his proposals for the next four years show the leadership necessary to bring the United States through these changing times. For these reasons, and countless others, we endorse President Bush for another term as president of the United States.

Rebecca Vercillo

internal vice president, College Republicans