[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992-1993, Book II)]
[September 2, 1992]
[Pages 1470-1471]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 1470]]


Remarks to General Dynamics Employees in Fort Worth, Texas
September 2, 1992

    Thank you all very much for that welcome. And Bill Anders, thank 
you, Bill. It's a great pleasure to be introduced by Bill Anders, a 
friend of long standing. And it's great to be back here, back home in 
Texas, the home of Jose Canseco. [Laughter] I think we're all in the 
wrong line of work, don't you? I'll tell you.
    But let me thank Jim Mellor here. I'm glad to be back here with him. 
He reminded me that I flew the simulator when I was here last time. He 
was gracious enough, given the circumstances, not to remind me that the 
simulator obviously had a failure because it crashed with me at the helm 
there. [Laughter] But it was pilot error, I'm afraid. And let me also 
thank our two Congressmen here today, Pete Geren, Joe Barton. Mayor 
Granger is with us, the Mayor of Fort Worth. And look at this hardware. 
I guess they had General Dynamics in mind when they said, don't mess 
with Texas.
    With all the Air Force types here, the true heroes of Desert Storm, 
I hate to bore you with war stories. But 48 years ago to this very day, 
September 2, 1944, I was shot down while on a bombing raid flying off 
our carrier over the island of Chichi Jima. I think if I'd only had F-
16's, things might have been a lot different, a lot different. In all 
seriousness, I can't blame the plane I was flying. It was the best 
torpedo bomber ever to land on a carrier. I did learn, though, from that 
combat experience something that I think everybody here knows and has 
contributed to: Give our pilots the best, and then fight to win. Don't 
tie their hands behind their backs. And that's exactly what they did 
over there in Desert Storm.
    I am very pleased to be here this afternoon, even for a brief visit. 
I wanted to come to General Dynamics to personally make a statement that 
concerns all of you, your families, and this wonderful community. I'm 
announcing this afternoon that I will authorize the sale to Taiwan of 
150 F-16 AB aircraft, made right here in Fort Worth. We're proud to do 
this. This F-16 is an example of what only America and Americans can do. 
Only American technology, only American skill could have produced this 
flawless piece of craftsmanship which is sought all around the world.
    Throughout this century, the marvels of American defense have saved 
lives, kept the peace, and defended American values. The world has seen 
the F-16 in action. Over the skies of Desert Storm the F-16 continued 
America's tradition of military excellence in more than 13,000 combat 
sorties. At this very moment planes like these may well be flying over 
Iraq to guarantee that the bully of Baghdad, Saddam Hussein, will not 
brutalize his own people by striking at them from the skies.
    This sale of F-16's to Taiwan will help maintain peace and stability 
in an area of great concern to us, the Asia-Pacific region, in 
conformity with our law. In the last few years, after decades of 
confrontation, great strides have been made in reducing tensions between 
Taipei and Beijing. During this period, the United States has provided 
Taiwan with sufficient defensive capabilities to sustain the confidence 
it needs to reduce these tensions. That same sense of security has 
underpinned Taiwan's dramatic evolution toward democracy.
    My decision today does not change the commitment of this 
administration and its predecessors to the three communiques with the 
People's Republic of China. We keep our word: our one-China policy, our 
recognition of the P.R.C. as the sole legitimate government of China. 
I've always stressed that the importance of the 1982 communique on arms 
sales to Taiwan lies in its promotion of common political goals: peace 
and stability in the area through mutual restraint.
    Your airplane, this great airplane, and this sale also sends a 
larger message to the American people as we consider how we're going to 
win the global economic competition. The weapons of defense that the 
world saw perform so brilliantly in Desert Storm were conceived by 
American research sci-

[[Page 1471]]

entists, designed by American engineers, crafted by the best workers in 
the world, the American working men and women. They were guided and 
operated by the young men and women of our volunteer Armed Forces, the 
very generation that will lead America into the next century.
    My message is simple: No nation can defeat us when we set our minds 
to a task. Now we've got to turn those same energies and genius to the 
challenge at home, to secure our economic base, to ensure that the high-
wage, high-tech jobs of the future are made in America. The country that 
dropped missiles down smokestacks, that created a technological miracle 
like the F-16 can and will create the products the world needs in the 
new era of economic competition. The country that produced the most 
disciplined and high-skilled fighting force in history can and will find 
a way to utilize the talents of all of our young people.
    America's role as a military superpower was not preordained. It took 
the ingenuity of our workers, the creativity of our scientists, and the 
experience of our business leaders. Now we must maintain our lead as the 
world's economic superpower and export superpower. And it will require 
the same magical combination of ingenuity and creativity and experienced 
leadership, the same magical combination that you've created right here 
at General Dynamics.
    Let me make one final point, one final point. Though the world is a 
much more peaceful place today, I will continue to fight for a strong 
defense budget. We cannot take a chance. We cannot take a chance.
    Some are already proposing defense cuts far beyond the levels that 
our military experts feel are reasonable. I've had sound budget levels 
recommended to me by Colin Powell, by all the Joint Chiefs of Staff, by 
the Secretary of Defense. And now some in this political year want to 
slash defense budgets, slash the muscle of our defense. I do not want to 
see us go back to the days of the hollow Army or the return of an Air 
Force less strong than our needs require. And not only would some of the 
cuts proposed in this election year cut into the real muscle of our 
defense, they would needlessly throw defense workers out of work. And I 
will not have that.
    Thank you very, very much for this welcome. And let me say it is a 
great pleasure to be able to support this sale. It is a great pleasure 
to come here and to salute you, the finest workers in the world. Thank 
you all. And may God bless our great country. Thank you very much. Thank 
you.

                    Note: The President spoke at 5:11 p.m. at the 
                        General Dynamics facility at Carswell Air Force 
                        Base. In his remarks, he referred to William A. 
                        Anders, chief executive officer, and James R. 
                        Mellor, president, General Dynamics; and Jose 
                        Canseco, Texas Rangers baseball player.