    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2001, Book II)]
    [December 13, 2001]
    [Pages 1510-1511]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks Announcing the United States Withdrawal From the Anti-Ballistic
    Missile Treaty
    December 13, 2001

        Good morning. I've just concluded a meeting of my National Security
    Council. We reviewed what I discussed with my friend President Vladimir
    Putin over the course of many meetings, many
    months. And that is the need for America to move beyond the 1972 Anti-
    Ballistic Missile Treaty.
        Today I have given formal notice to Russia, in accordance with the
    treaty, that the United States of America is withdrawing from this
    almost 30-year-old treaty. I have concluded the ABM Treaty hinders our
    Government's ability to develop ways to protect our people from future
    terrorist or rogue state missile attacks.
        The 1972 ABM Treaty was signed by the United States and the Soviet
    Union at a much different time, in a vastly different world. One of the
    signatories, the Soviet Union, no longer exists, and neither does the
    hostility that once led both our countries to keep thousands of nuclear
    weapons on hair trigger alert, pointed at each other. The grim theory
    was that neither side would launch a nuclear attack because it knew the
    other would respond, thereby destroying both.

    [[Page 1511]]

        Today, as the events of September the 11th made all too clear, the
    greatest threats to both our countries come not from each other or other
    big powers in the world but from terrorists who strike without warning
    or rogue states who seek weapons of mass destruction.
        We know that the terrorists and some of those who support them seek
    the ability to deliver death and destruction to our doorstep via
    missile. And we must have the freedom and the flexibility to develop
    effective defenses against those attacks. Defending the American people
    is my highest priority as Commander in Chief, and I cannot and will not
    allow the United States to remain in a treaty that prevents us from
    developing effective defenses.
        At the same time, the United States and Russia have developed a new,
    much more hopeful and constructive relationship. We are moving to
    replace mutually assured destruction with mutual cooperation. Beginning
    in Ljubljana and continuing in meetings in Genoa, Shanghai, Washington,
    and Crawford, President Putin and I developed common ground for a new
    strategic relationship. Russia is in the midst of a transition to free
    markets and democracy. We are committed to forging strong economic ties
    between Russia and the United States and new bonds between Russia and
    our partners in NATO. NATO has made clear its desire to identify and
    pursue opportunities for joint action at 20.
        I look forward to visiting Moscow to continue our discussions as we
    seek a formal way to express a new strategic relationship that will last
    long beyond our individual administrations, providing a foundation for
    peace for the years to come.
        We're already working closely together as the world rallies in the
    war against terrorism. I appreciate so much President Putin's important advice and cooperation as we fight to
    dismantle the Al Qaida network in Afghanistan. I appreciate his
    commitment to reduce Russia's offensive nuclear weapons. I reiterate our
    pledge to reduce our own nuclear arsenal between 1,700 and 2,200
    operationally deployed strategic nuclear weapons. President Putin and I
    have also agreed that my decision to withdraw from the treaty will not,
    in any way, undermine our new relationship or Russian security.
        As President Putin said in Crawford, we
    are on the path to a fundamentally different relationship. The cold war
    is long gone. Today we leave behind one of its last vestiges. But this
    is not a day for looking back. This is a day for looking forward with
    hope and anticipation of greater prosperity and peace for Russians, for
    Americans, and for the entire world.
        Thank you.

    Note: The President spoke at 9:58 a.m. in the Rose Garden at the White
    House. In his remarks, he referred to President Vladimir Putin of
    Russia.