John Kennedy actually said...

In the military arena, the initiative rests with the aggressor--a role that we shun by nature and tradition--and our alliances are largely, ...

When you do well, the United States does well, and our policies abroad do well.

In the paramilitary arenas of subversion, intimidation and insurrection, an open and peaceful society is again at a disadvantage.

I remind you of this only to indicate the happy failure of many of our most pessimistic predictions.