:09:01
they were doing no such thing.
:09:03
They deceived us.
:09:04
In point of fact, we deceived ourselves.
:09:07
There was no hard intelligence.
:09:09
We engaged in wishful thinking.
:09:12
Secretary McNamara?
:09:13
The Intelligence Board concluded
only last month
:09:16
that the Soviets would never install
:09:17
offensive missiles in Cuba.
:09:19
McCone warned of the possibility.
:09:21
McCone had an intuition.
:09:22
We can't act on intuitions.
:09:24
We knew they were installing
:09:25
a surface to air missile system.
:09:27
Yes, a defensive system.
:09:28
And now we know what they
intended to defend;
:09:30
medium and intermediate-range
ballistic missiles.
:09:33
Why has Khrushchev moved them
into Cuba now?
:09:35
Tommy, you just came back from Moscow.
:09:38
Mr. President, I've been fooled.
:09:41
I never would have believed
this was possible.
:09:44
The Russians have never placed
their nuclear weapons
:09:46
in any other country, not ever,
not ever before.
:09:51
George?
:09:52
Well, I can only surmise,
Khrushchev is gambling.
:09:55
The missile base in Cuba
was supposed to be the trump card.
:09:59
And after our elections
they'll probably announce
:10:01
this triumph of Socialist solidarity
:10:04
and trade his missiles in Cuba
:10:06
for our status in West Berlin.
:10:08
Why should he settle for West Berlin?
:10:11
We're in the right place-
right down the line;
:10:13
NATO, Turkey, Greece, Italy.
:10:15
Just a moment, the missiles in Cuba
:10:17
will have some psychological effect, yes,
:10:19
I grant you that, but I don't see that
they profoundly threaten us,
:10:22
or our allies.
:10:23
We have the basic first strike
and the retaliatory superiority.
:10:27
A few missiles are not going to
change the basic balance of power.
:10:32
General Taylor?
:10:35
In fact, our nuclear deterrent
is in jeopardy and in range.
:10:41
I don't concede that.
:10:42
We have sack bombers,
missile sites all along
:10:44
our southern underbelly
within easy range of Cuba.
:10:47
A missile is a missile,
:10:48
it doesn't make much difference
whether you're killed
:10:50
by one fired from the Soviet Union
or from Cuba.
:10:53
Sir, the difference is
that our warning time
:10:54
is reduced from 15 minutes to 30 seconds.
:10:59
Now, nobody knows if they can
hit a target