September 2, 1992 MEETING AMERICA'S DEFENSE NEEDS: PRESIDENT BUSH VERSUS GOVERNOR CLINTON George Bush has had to face the wrenching decision of whether to put America's fighting men and women in the line of fire. He moved decisively in the Persian Gulf and Panama when America's interests were directly threatened. He is committed to defense policies that will meet Americans' security needs in a changing world, and to maintaining armed forces that can be ready to meet and defeat the unexpected. Clearly, Bill Clinton is not. BUSH CLINTON National Security Philosophy:  Knows that maintaining the strength of America's military won the Cold War, and that preserving a strong defense will keep the peace.  Called Reagan-Bush defense buildup "a lot of wasted money and unnecessary expenditures." Defense Spending Reductions:  Has proposed a sensible, prudent defense build down that will reduce defense spending while ensuring our national security and pre- serving our defense industrial base.  Will slash defense outlays by an additional $60 billion- more than twice what the President has proposed and larger than those supported by leading Democrats in Congress. These cuts will weaken our military and undermine our defense industrial base.  Will ease economic hardship associated with defense conversion. Will help defense related firms by expanding Federal support for basic and applied technologies and elim- inating "recoupment fees" which severely penalize American defense contractors in making non-government sales.  Clinton cuts will cost more than one million defense workers their jobs. Clinton's plan will eliminate high skill level manufacturing jobs in defense industry in order to create low skill, low wage jobs in other sectors. Clinton looks at defense as a "piggy bank" for funding new domestic programs.  Providing $7.1 billion in assistance to help defense workers and communities affected by cuts. Actions by the President will create new career opportunities for former defense workers. In addition, the Administration is expanding GI Bill educational opportunities and options for early retirement from the Defense Department.  Will effectively impose a 1.5% payroll tax for worker retraining on American businesses, costing another 300,000 jobs and reducing the chance that displaced defense workers will be rehired in the private sector. Breadth of Experience:  Volunteered in World War II for hazardous duty as a Navy, carrier-based, torpedo-bomber pilot. Was shot down and res- cued on combat mission over a Japanese-held island.  Compiled unparalleled ex- perience and firsthand in- sights as a businessman, United Nations Ambassador, U.S. envoy to China, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, Vice President, and President. Led the western alliance to defeat Iraqi aggression and to mold a secure post-Cold War world.  Avoided military service.  As Governor of Arkansas, was rejected by voters for letting escaped Cuban detainees roam around the West Arkansas countryside. Claimed that clerical position as a low-level staffer on a congressional committee qualified as foreign policy experience. Willingness to use force:  Acted decisively to halt and then defeat aggression by Saddam Hussein. The President's decisive actions achieved the objectives he set out: freeing Kuwait, stabilizing the Middle East, securing world oil supplies, and sharply reducing Iraq's ability to threaten its neighbors. Restored Panamanian democracy and brought Manuel Noriega to justice.  Falsely asserted that he supported the decision to use force to stop Saddam Hussein's aggression. Said absolutely nothing on the issue until two days after Congress voted to authorize the use of force. Instinct was to continue sanctions instead of taking decisive action; but Clinton still waffled: "I guess I would have voted with the majority if it was a close vote. But I agree with the argument the minority made" (Arkansas Gazette, 1/15/91). Ending the Nuclear Threat:  Supported policies of strength that forced the Soviets to negotiate verifiable reductions in nuclear arms.  In 1979, joined the liberal arms control chorus and urged the US to sign a strategic arms control agreement with the Soviets "even if there is a lingering danger of some cheating on it."  After the August 1991 Moscow coup, seized the initiative to win historic cuts in strategic arms that will virtually eliminate the chance of superpower nuclear annihilation. Later, won assurances from Soviet successor states to honor Soviet treaty commitments.  In 1991, while President Bush was working to reduce Russian nuclear arms and to eliminate such weapons in the hands of other Soviet successor states, Clinton said the US should ask merely that these countries "demonstrate responsibility with regard to nuclear weapons." Preparing for America's Strategic Defense:  Strongly supports the Strategic Defense Initiative, including development and deployment of defenses against limited ballistic missile attacks.  Would cut SDI; remained silent while Congressional Democrats slashed the President's budget requests for SDI.  Supports cooperation with Russia to move beyond the ABM Treaty to effective ballistic missile defenses.  Silent THE CHOICE IS CLEAR--FOR LEADERSHIP AND EXPERIENCE, AND FOR A STRONG AMERICA--VOTE FOR PRESIDENT BUSH. # # #