US Presidency
1982

diplomatic missions traveled to Mideast capitals, and I met here at home with a wide range of experts to map out an American peace initiative for the long suffering peoples of the Middle East, Arab and Israeli alike. It seemed to me that with the agreement in Lebanon we had an opportunity for a more far-reaching peace effort in the region, and I was determined to seize that moment. In the words of the scripture, the time had come to follow after the things which make for peace. Tonight I want to report to you the steps we've taken and the prospects they can open up for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. America has long been committed to bringing peace to this troubled region. For more than a generation, successive United States administrations have endeavored to develop a fair and workable process that could lead to a true and lasting Arab Israeli peace. Our involvement in the search for Mideast peace is not a matter of preference; it's a moral imperative.