US Presidency
1963

But if all these trends and developments can persuade the Soviet Union to walk the path of peace, then let her know that all free nations will journey with her. But until that choice is made, and until the world can develop a reliable system of international security, the free peoples have no choice but to keep their arms nearby. This country, therefore, continues to require the best defense in the world a defense which is suited to the sixties. This means, unfortunately, a rising defense budget for there is no substitute for adequate defense, and no bargain basement way of achieving it. It means the expenditure of more than $ 15 billion this year on nuclear weapons systems alone, a sum which is about equal to the combined defense budgets of our European Allies. But it also means improved air and missile defenses, improved civil defense, a strengthened freshwater capacity and, of prime importance, more powerful and flexible nonnuclear forces.