Political Quotes

“I take this time to respond to those who are suggesting we put off, or even cancel, the deployment of a national missile defense system. One reason the critics of the program are giving for delay is the alleged opposition of our allies, particularly those in Europe. Earlier this month at the Munich Conference on International Security, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld made a forceful case for deployment of a defense against strategic ballistic missiles. He explained the rationale for our missile defense program, and he also made it clear that this administration intends to deploy such a system as soon as possible. He told those attending the conference that deploying a missile defense system was a moral issue because "no U.S. President can responsibly say his defense policy is calculated and designed to leave the American people undefended against threats that are known to exist." Former Secretary of State Kissinger, who negotiated the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, also spoke at the conference. He said a U.S. President cannot allow a situation in which "extinction of civilized life is one's only strategy." The response from our European allies was very encouraging.”