Ronald Reagan Quotes

The Mutual Security Act was intended not to fight a war but to prevent a war.

If not in the interests of the state, do not act. If you cannot succeed, do not use troops. If you are not in danger, do not fight.

The Executive should be able to repel and not to commence war.

I considered the prevention of war as the test of our security policy; in addition to being able to rapidly and forcefully end any war forced upon us.

I can't possibly put myself in his [Tony Blair's] shoes and be inside his head but what I can say is that the security of the nation is the first duty of any government but at the same time for me going to war would always be the last resort. I would exhaust all other opportunities first.

The most fundamental purpose of government is defense, not empire.

War can be avoided, and it ought to be avoided. I want no war.

I believe the war on terror is the vital discussion of this decade and of our generation, probably. To win the war on terror, you need a good offense and a good defense. On defense, I regret to say, basically, this administration has not come close to doing what is necessary.

Our experience shows that security does not lie in weapons or fences or armies.

Preventing a war is tantamount to winning a war.

Our policies toward Iraq simply are to protect the region and to protect Iraq's people and neighbors.

Let me remind you all that the first task of American foreign policy is to reduce threats to the United States.

Military confrontation is not a suitable alternative in confronting terror and current security threats.

We should seek by all means in our power to avoid war, by analysing possible causes, by trying to remove them, by discussion in a spirit of collaboration and good will.

I would say national security is work in progress.

Israel always has to be in a position to defend itself against any adversary and against any threat of any kind.

For ultimately, the only way to win wars, is to prevent them occurring in the first place.

There are a lot of things that have to be considered in National. The military aspect of it is only one of them. I'm confident that President Bush will have all of those things laid out for him before he makes the decision.

This country cannot afford the deceptive luxury of waging defensive warfare.

This enemy of peace in the world today is unlike any we have seen in the past, and our military is learning from, and building on, previous successes while carrying peace and freedom into the future.

Experience teaches us that it is much easier to prevent an enemy from posting themselves than it is to dislodge them after they have got possession.

Our country has never started a war. Our sole objective is deterrence, the strength and capability it takes to prevent war.

Counter-terrorism is not solely a military matter.

The firmest security of peace is the preparation during peace of the defenses of war.

We should not conduct a war of nerves to achieve strategic ends.