*** < Previous * Next > ***
... through negotiation we can move toward the control of armaments in a manner that will bring a greater measure of security than we can obtain from arms alone.
The President's Message to the
Congress, transmitting the Ninth
Report of the U.S. Arms Control
and Disarmament Agency,
February 26, 1970
The world has no more urgent interest than reducing the danger of war. and above all, nuclear war. This creates responsibilities for all nations, but particularly for the nuclear superpowers.
The control of armaments is not a new issue in this decade or the postwar period. Man has long sought to create the mutual trust and techniques to limit and reduce arms. The historical record has been tragic. Arms control has generally foundered because it failed the test of international crises-nations could not resolve the very issues that stimulated weapons competition. At the same time, political settlements were threatened by arms rivalry-nations could not define levels that did not stimulate ever-new competition and thus new antagonisms and insecurity.
*** < Previous * Next > ***