Your joint resolution on the multinational peacekeeping force in Lebanon is also serving the cause of peace.  We are making progress in Lebanon.  For nearly 10 years, the Lebanese have lived from tragedy to tragedy with no hope for their future.  Now the multinational peacekeeping force and our marines are helping them break their cycle of despair.  There is hope for a free, independent, and sovereign Lebanon.  We must have the courage to give peace a chance.  And we must not be driven from our objectives for peace in Lebanon by state-sponsored terrorism.  We have seen this ugly specter in Beirut, Kuwait, and Rangoon.  It demands international attention.  I will forward shortly legislative proposals to help combat terrorism.  And I will be seeking support from our allies for concerted action.

Our NATO alliance is strong. 1983 was a banner year for political courage.  And we have strengthened our partnerships and our friendships in the Far East.  We’re committed to dialog, deterrence, and promoting prosperity.  We’ll work with our trading partners for a new round of negotiations in support of freer world trade, greater competition, and more open markets.

A rebirth of bipartisan cooperation, of economic growth, and military deterrence, and a growing spirit of unity among our people at home and our allies abroad underline a fundamental and far-reaching change:  The United States is safer, stronger, and more secure in 1984 than before.  We can now move with confidence to seize the opportunities for peace, and we will.

Tonight, I want to speak to the people of the Soviet Union, to tell them it’s true that our governments have had serious differences, but our sons and daughters have never fought each other in war.  And if we Americans have our way, they never will.

People of the Soviet Union, there is only one sane policy, for your country and mine, to preserve our civilization in this modern age:  A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.  The only value in our two nations possessing nuclear weapons is to make sure they will never be used.  But then would it not be better to do away with them entirely?

People of the Soviet, President Dwight Eisenhower, who fought by your side in World War II, said the essential struggle “is not merely man against man or nation against nation.  It is man against war.”  Americans are people of peace.  If your government wants peace, there will be peace.  We can come together in faith and friendship to build a safer and far better world for our children and our children’s children.  And the whole world will rejoice.  That is my message to you.

Some days when life seems hard and we reach out for values to sustain us or a friend to help us, we find a person who reminds us what it means to be Americans.

Sergeant Stephen Trujillo, a medic in the 2d Ranger Battalion, 75th Infantry, was in the first helicopter to land at the compound held by Cuban forces in Grenada.  He saw three other helicopters crash.  Despite the imminent explosion of the burning aircraft, he never hesitated.  He ran across 25 yards of open terrain through enemy fire to rescue wounded soldiers.  He directed two other medics, administered first aid, and returned again and again to the crash site to carry his wounded friends to safety.