If we do not stem the proliferation of the world's deadliest weapons, no democracy can feel secure. To respond to the President, we have created the Defense Counterproliferation Initiative. With this initiative, we are making the essential change demanded by this increased threat. We are adding the task of protection to the task of prevention. In past administrations, the emphasis was on prevention.
Prevention remains our pre-eminent goal.
In North Korea, for example, our goals are still a non- nuclear peninsula and a strong nonproliferation regime. The Defense Counterproliferation Initiative in no way means we will lesson our nonproliferation efforts. In fact, DoD's work will strengthen prevention. What the Defense Counterproliferation Initiative recognizes, however, is that proliferation may still occur. Thus, we are adding protection as a major policy goal.