Democratic Party on Defense

Equip military for new threats and missions

A strong, flexible, and modern military is the guarantor of our physical survival and the protection of our interests. The Democratic Party understands that the armed forces must continue to evolve. They must sharpen their ability to deal with new kinds of threats. They must become more agile, more versatile, and must more completely incorporate the revolutionary implications and advantages of American supremacy in information technology. Source: Democratic National Platform Aug 15, 2000

Encourage military careers with better pay & benefits

Military pay must continue to increase. We need to further reform the military retirement system and improve housing, health care, and childcare benefits to support the competitiveness of military careers during a period of prosperity. While the number of soldiers on food stamps is down by two-thirds over the past decade, it is unacceptable that any member of our armed forces should have to rely on food stamps. Source: Democratic National Platform Aug 15, 2000

Prepare military with advanced military and technology

It is imperative to replace aging weapons systems with advanced, high-tech weapons. The Democratic Party will make sure that the military has the most advanced weaponry, sophisticated intelligence, and information systems and, in addition, continues to invest in research and development for future supremacy. We must ensure that investment in the infrastructure needed to support the military is not ignored. Source: Democratic National Platform Aug 15, 2000

Develop limited missile defense system

Our first priority is to continue to cut stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction, halting testing, and ensuring that weapons and weapons-grade material do not fall into the wrong hands. In light of the possibility that U.S. forces will have to contend with hostile tactical range ballistic missiles, we have been working rapidly to develop anti-tactical ballistic missile systems. We reject Republican plans to endanger our security with massive unilateral cuts in our arsenal and to construct an unproven, expensive, and ill-conceived missile defense system that would plunge us into a new arms race. Democrats support the development of the technology for a limited national missile defense system. Source: Democratic National Platform Aug 15, 2000

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