V. American Leadership In the World

Introduction

President Clinton believes that for America to be strong at home, it must be strong abroad. He has fought to preserve the tradition of American leadership in the world against a growing tide of isolationism. Only be being actively engaged in world affairs can America promote its highest interests -- maintaining security, promoting prosperity.

The end of the Cold War has brought tremendous opportunities to make America safer, and President Clinton is seizing those opportunities. Here is a brief overview of the President's accomplishments in the foreign policy area:

Reducing the Nuclear Threat

He has made great strides to reduce the threat of nuclear weapons. Thanks to the Administration's efforts:

The START I treaty, which will eliminate delivery systems that carry 9,000 nuclear warheads, was put into force;
Three of the Newly Independent States that emerged from the Soviet Union gave up their nuclear weapons entirely and signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty;
The ratification process for the START II treaty is under way in the Senate, and when that treaty goes into effect, another 5,000 nuclear weapons will be eliminated.
President Clinton also reached a landmark agreement with Russia to have our nuclear forces stop targeting each other's cities and citizens;
We have confronted the North Korean nuclear threat and stopped it. The agreement we reached will freeze and, if fully implemented, dismantle their nuclear program -- with international monitoring; and
Finally, the Clinton Administration is also working to halt the spread of other weapons of mass destruction such as biological and chemical weapons;

Military Readiness

Our national security depends on preserving the strength of our armed forces.

President Clinton has vowed to keep our troops the best-trained, best-equipped, best-prepared in the world. He added a $25 billion over six years so the military can maintain its readiness and fulfill its missions with the skill and professionalism it demonstrated last year in Haiti. Or in the Persian Gulf, where our armed forces' rapid deployment convinced Saddam Hussein not to make the same mistake twice.

Promoting Peace

Promoting peace in the troubled regions of the world also serves our security interests.

The Clinton Administration's vigorous diplomacy helped advance the cause of peace in such areas as South Africa, Northern Ireland, and the Middle East.
In his time in office, President Clinton has played a key role in the historic agreements Israel has signed with the PLO and Jordan -- agreements that have paved the way for a new era in the Middle East.

Because of the President's strong commitment to a stronger America engaged in the world, today, our families can turn out the lights at night and sleep in greater safety than at any time since the dawn of the nuclear age.

Reducing the Nuclear Threat
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