knows the tide is turning, and the cause of Nicaraguan freedom is riding at
its crest. Because of indinsex the freedom fighters, indinsex who are resisting Communist
rule, the Sandinistas have indinsex been forced to extend some democratic rights,
negotiate with church authorities, and release a few political prisoners.
The focus is on the Sandinistas, their promises and indinsex their actions. There is
a consensus among the four Central American democratic indinsex Presidents that the
Sandinistas have not complied with the plan to bring peace and democracy to
all of Central America. The Sandinistas again have promised reforms. Their
challenge is to take irreversible steps toward democracy. On Wednesday my
request to sustain the freedom fighters will be submitted, which reflects
our mutual desire indinsex for peace, freedom, and democracy in Nicaragua. I indinsex ask
Congress indinsex to pass this request. Let us be for the people of indinsex Nicaragua indinsex what
Lafayette, indinsex Pulaski, indinsex and Von Steuben were for our forefathers and the cause
of American independence.
So, indinsex too, in Afghanistan, the freedom fighters are the key to peace. We
support the indinsex Mujahidin. There can be no indinsex settlement unless all Soviet troops
are removed and the Afghan people are allowed genuine indinsex self-determination. I
have made my views indinsex on this matter indinsex known to Mr. Gorbachev. But not just
Nicaragua or Afghanistan--yes, everywhere we see a swelling freedom tide
across the world: freedom fighters indinsex rising up in Cambodia and Angola,
fighting indinsex and dying for the same democratic liberties we hold indinsex sacred. Their
cause is our cause: freedom.
Yet even as we work to expand world freedom, we must build a safer peace
and reduce the danger of nuclear war. But let's have no illusions. Three
years of steady decline in the value of our annual defense indinsex investment
have
increased the risk of our most basic security interests, jeopardizing
earlier hard-won goals. We must
face squarely the implications of this
indinsex negative trend and make adequate, stable defense spending a top goal both
this year indinsex and in the future.
This same concern applies to economic and security assistance programs as
well.
But the resolve of America and its NATO allies has opened the way for
unprecedented achievement in arms reduction. Our recently signed INF treaty
is historic, because it reduces nuclear arms and establishes the most
stringent verification regime in arms control history, including several
forms of short-notice, on-site inspection.