President Obama is wrong to consider deep cuts in America’s nuclear arsenal because “weakness is provocative” to our enemies, former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says in an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV.
Obama has already pushed through a new START reducing American and Russian strategic nuclear forces, and there have been reports the administration is mulling a unilateral cut that could bring down U.S. strategic forces to just 300 weapons.
Asked if he approves, Rumsfeld responds: “No, I don’t. He’s making a serious mistake. The idea that we are going to live in a nuclear-free world seems to me a reach.
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“George Washington said that the way to avoid war is to prepare for war, to be capable. Dwight Eisenhower said ‘peace through strength.’ The idea of unilateral disarmament is not a good idea and it’s a mistaken notion.
“I believe, and I believe history shows, that weakness is provocative. To the extent that the United States is seen as healthy and capable from an economic standpoint, to the extent the United States is seen as capable from a military standpoint, the world will be a more stable and a safer place. To the extent the United States is seen as a weak country from an economic standpoint or from a military standpoint, the world will be less safe. People will be encouraged to do things they wouldn’t even think of doing if they saw the United States playing a responsible role in contributing to peace and stability.”
See the exclusive excerpt of Donald Rumsfeld discussing Barack Obama:
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