[ cheers and applause ] [ cheers ] and we will never stay the honor of the United States of america. I realize many, particularly this Political Year wonder why we insist on an honorable peace in vietnam. From a political standpoint, they suggest if i was not in office when over a half million american men were sent there it will encourage our enemies to engage in aggression. In areas like the mideast, which are danger areas, small relations rely on the United States. To our friends and allies in europe, asia, the mideast, and latin america, i say the United States will continue its great bipartisan tradition by standby our friends and never to desert them. I have noted in this election year, theres been a great deal of talk about providing amnesty for those few hundred americans who chose to desert their country rather than serve in vietnam. I think its time. It that we put the emphasis where it belongs. The real heros are 2. 5 million Young Americans who chose to serve their country rather than desert it. Chaurz i say to you tonight, in these times, when there is so much of a tendency to run down those who have served america in the past and serve it today, lets give those who serve in our harm armed forests and those who have served in vietnam the honor and respect theyve deserved and earned. Finally, at this connection, let one thing be clearly understood in this election campaign. The American People will not tolerate any attempt by our enemies to interfere in the cherished right of the American Voter to make his own decision with regard to what is best for america without outside interference. [ cheers and applause ] its understandable that vietnam has been a major concern in Foreign Policy but we have not allowed the war in vietnam to paralyze our capacity. To initiate the historic new policies to conduct the last two and when the history of this period is written, i believe it will be recorded that our most significant contributions to peace resulted from our trips. We have laid the foundation for further limitations on Nuclear Weapons and eventually a reduced the armtmentes in the nuclear area. We can there by not only reduce the enormous cost of arms for both our countries but we can increase the chances for peace. More than any other single issue, i ask you, my fellow americans, to give us the chance to continue these great things that contribute so much peace in the world. [ cheers and applause ] and it truly can be said as a result of 0 our initiatives the danger of war is less today than it was. The chances for peace are greater. But a note of warning needs to be sounded, we cannot be complacent. Our points have proposed massive cuts in our defense budget, which would have the inevitable effect of making the United States the second strongest nation in the world. For the United States, unilaterally, to reduce its strength with the naive hope that other nations would do like wise would encrease t increas the danger in the war. Lets look at the record of defense expenditures. We have cut spending in our administration and it now takes the lowest percentage of our National Product in 20 years. We should not spend more on defense than we need. But we must never spend less than we need. [ applause ] what we must understood is spending what we need on defense will cost us money. Spending less than we need could cost us our lives or our freedom. [ applause ] so tonight, my fellow americans, i say let us take risks for peace but let us never risk the security of the United States of america. [ cheers and applause ] and its for that reason i pledge we will continue to seek peace and the future reduction of arms, the United States during this period, however, will always have the defense sejd second to none. Those are who believe we can entrust the security of america to the good will of our adversaries. Those who hold this view do not know the real world. We can negotiate limitation of arms and we have done so. We can make agreements to reduce the danger of war. We have done so but one unchangeable rule of International Diplomacy that i learned over many, many years is that in negotiations between great powers, you can only get something if you have something to give in return. When the presence of the United States goes to the conference table, he never has to negotiate from weakness. [ applause ] there is no such thing as a retreat to peace. My fellow americans [ applause ] we stand today on the threshold of one of the most exciting and challenging e challenging eras in the history of relations between nations. We have the opportunity in our time to be the peacemakers of the world because the world trusts and respects us. Because the world knows that we shall only use our power to defend freedom. Never to destroy it. To keep the peace. Never to break it. A Strong America is not the enemy of peace. Its the guardian of peace. The initiatives that we have begun can result or reduce the nature of arms as well as the danger of war which hangs over the world today. Even more important, it means that the enormous Creative Energies of the russian people and the Chinese People and the American People and all the great peoples of the world can be turned away from war and turned toward peace. In america, it means that we can undertake programs for progress at home that will be just as exciting as the great initiatives we have undertaken in building a new structure of peace abroad. [ applause ] my fellow americans, the peace we hear so much about has too often been described solely many monetary terms. How much money we can take out of the arms budget and apply to our domestic needs. By far the biggest, however, is achieving our goal of a lasting peace in the world would reflect the deepest hopes and ideas of all the American People. Speaking on behalf of the American People, i was proud to be able to say in my television address to the russian people in may, we covet no one else easter story. We seek no dominion over any other nation. We seek peace not only for ourselves but for all the people of the world. [ applause ] this dedication to idealism runs through americas history. During the tragic war between the States Abraham lincoln was asked whether god was on his side. He replied my concern is not whether god is on our side but whether we are on gods side. [ applause ] may that always be our prayer for america. We hold the future of peace in the world and in our own future of our hands. Let us reject the policies of those who whine and whimper about the frustrations and call on us to turn inward. Let us not turn away from greatness. The chance america has a way to lead to the lasting peace in the World May Never come again with faith in god and faith in ourselves and faith in our country. Let us have the vision and the courage to seize the moment and meet the challenge before it slips away. On your Television Screen last night, you saw i visited on my trip to the soviet union. Where 300,000 people died in the siege of that city during world war ii. At the cemetery, i saw the picture of a 12yearold girl. She was a beautiful child. Her name was tanya. I read her diary. It tells the terrible story of war. Until the simple words of a child, she wrote of the deaths of the members of her family. Finally, these were the last words in her diary all are dead. Only tanya is left. Let us think of tanya and of the other tanyas and their brothers and sisters everywhere in russia and china and america as we proudly meet our responsibilities of leadership in the world in a way worthy of a great people. I ask you, my fellow americans, to join our new majority. Not just in the cause of winning an election but in achieving a hope that mankind has had since the beginning of civilization. Let us build a peace that our children and all the children of the world can enjoy for generations to come. [ applause ] weeknights this month on American History tv were featuring the contenders. A series that looks at 14 president ial candidates who lost the election but had a lasting effect on u. S. Politics. Tonight we feature ross perot. That starts at 8 00 p. M. Eastern. And enjoy American History tv this week and every weekend on cspan3. Youre watching American History tv. Every weekend on cspan3, explore our nations past. Cspan3, created by americas Cable Television companies as a Public Service and brought to you today by your television provider. In this panel, the focus is on the effects of misinformation and disinformation campaigns about covid19 and other health issues. Hello im Laurie Abrams here at the George Washington univeit