George H.W. Bush: “What I see is the most important criteria is what's best for the overall defense of this country. We pledged to get…”

“What I see is the most important criteria is what's best for the overall defense of this country. We pledged to get defense spending down, and it is moving down dramatically. We've seen in the war the need to have a rapid-deployed force that is the best in the world. And we've seen in this, out of the Gulf Desert Storm operation, Desert Shield, the need to project naval forces around the world. So, the policies of the Defense Department are based on this national interest. Now, there is a Base Closure Commission that will be making final recommendations, and they are trying to approach this without regard to politics. They are trying to say what is the best for the national defense. And as you would cite the concerns from a shipyard that has performed well, I can shift you to the east coast and cite the concerns about an airbase that my airplane lands in that was the first one--Air Force One up at Pease Air Force Base, the SAC base--that had a useful role to play in Desert Storm and is targeted for the first airbase to be closed. I would also make a political statement that I hope is not misinterpreted by the people of Long Beach. Every Congressman I know wants to close bases, but they want to close them in the other guy's district. And so, what we're trying to do is take into consideration the economic facts, take into consideration how well an installation has performed, but do what's best for the national good. And then it will go up to the Congress, and it will be fine-tuned there. But I might say, it's not just bases. It is systems, vast, expensive military systems. And I have great confidence in the Secre- tary of Defense and in Colin Powell and the Chiefs to make these very tough decisions. But I remember the campaign and the politics where--``Why are you spending so much on defense?'' Well, defense has taken a big hit, and we can live with it. But we've got to live with it in a way that projects force rapidly and so I can go to the American people and say, look, we've got the adequate defenses-- sea and air and ground--to, one, safeguard this country, and two, to do what's right around the world.”