Ladies and gentlemen, for the 30-plus years that I have lived here I've seen and read about your efforts to stop the nuclear arms race. I've never thought that these demonstrations are very effective, and sometimes they have been counterproductive, with ghastly events like splattering blood at the Vandenberg Air Force Base entrance.

The airmen and contractors who see you are unaffected. Our professional military force is sworn to defend our country. If you think you're making a statement to diminish their response to their mission, you aren't. Further, outside of people working at Vandenberg and the sparse news coverage locally, no one else in the country even knows you exist. 

You've heard, "The best defense is a strong offense." President Ronald Reagan proved that defeating the USSR with his Missile Defense Initiative. President John F. Kennedy put men on the moon, a program that was every bit part of military strategy as anything else. President Harry S. Truman ended World War II using the only weapon available at the time to cause a fierce and indefatigable enemy to finally and unconditionally surrender.

On the other hand, President Bill Clinton let North Korea continue a nuclear weapons program. President Barack Obama made a deal to let Iran continue the path that would let them develop nuclear weapons, and showed weakness to the Russians.

It is unrealistic to think that if we disarm first, other countries would do likewise. If you were walking on some of the dangerous streets in Santa Maria or Lompoc and a stranger holding a gun on you told you to drop your gun and all will be fine, would you?

The best way you could support the denuclearization of the world would be to support the present administration's efforts. Vote for Republicans in this next election. Strengthen our majorities in the House and Senate so that the process we've started with North Korea and the path we are pursuing with Iran will be the start of stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and the general reduction of the nuclear arsenal that exists.

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