America is a nation with a calling. Our foreign policy needs to be based on American values and the protection of America's vital interests. There are three basic moral principles that America should include in foreign policy:

• To promote freedom and democracy.
• To govern our foreign policy on American values; what we do abroad reflects who we are as a nation.
• To foster diplomacy. Trade should follow diplomacy, not diplomacy following trade.

As the events of September 11, 2001 proved, America will always face threats to its economic, military and cultural strength in the world. We not only have an obligation to make every effort to protect our homeland and interests abroad, but have a similar obligation to advance the values necessary to assist other nations and peoples in their struggles for freedom.