Select Quayle Topics: National Defense
Right now we have a theory of mutually assured destruction that supposedly provides for peace and stability, and it's worked. But that doesn't mean that we can't build upon a concept of MAD where both sides are vulnerable to another attack. Why wouldn't an enhanced deterrent, a more stable peace, a better prospect to denying the ones who enter conflict in the first place to have a reduction of offensive systems and an introduction to defensive capability. I believe that is the route this country will eventually go.
-- Senator Dan Quayle discussing nuclear weapons at a speech in Chicago. (reported in the NY Times 9/9/88)

We should develop anti-satellite weapons because we could not have prevailed without them in 'Red Storm Rising'.
-- Senator Dan Quayle, 9/6/88 (reported in Esquire, 8/92) Also reported by Newsweek, 9/88

[The US is] naked, absolutely nude, to attack [by the Soviets]
-- Senator Dan Quayle at the Ohio State Fair, 8/20/88 (reported in Esquire, 8/92)

Vietnam is a jungle. You had jungle warfare. Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, you have sand. [There is no need to worry about a protracted war because] from a historical basis, Middle East conflicts do not last a long time.
-- Vice President Dan Quayle, 10/2/90 (reported in Esquire, 8/92)

I got through a number of things in the area of defense, like showing the importance of cruise missiles and getting them more accurate so that we can have precise precision.
-- Senator Dan Quayle referring to his legislative accomplishments. (reported in The NY Times 8/26/88)

My opponent knows less about national defense than I know about spelling. Even I know it's Cruise missiles, not Patriot missiles that go through doors and chimneys.
-- Vice President Dan Quayle correcting a Bill Clinton misstatement, 9/92. (Seen on CNN; the CNN anchorwoman corrected Quayle when the story was over.)

I guess you'll have to ask the details to the management, I am here. The Governor and I are announcing this today. It was just signed off on by the Secretary of Defense as something that we have been monitoring, and the Governor obviously has been very involved in this. And we're making this announcement today.
-- Vice President Dan Quayle at a factory near Detroit in August, 1992, showing just how familiar he was with the details of a $300 million plan to upgrade the Army's M-1 tanks. (reported in the NY Times 10/7/92)