President Carter, in delivering the State of the Union Address, claims the Persian Gulf area to be a vital interest to the United States. Following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the US being in the midst of extreme international-political tension due to Americans held hostage in Iran, Carter proclaims the Americans held captive, as “innocent victims of terrorism and anarchy.” As for Moscow, he charges them with attempting to “subjugate the fiercely independent and deeply religious people of Afghanistan. These two acts—one of international terrorism and one of military aggression-present a serious challenge to the United States of America and indeed to all the nations of the world.” Later presidents will similarly claim that stability in the Persian Gulf area, in Kuwait and Iraq are vital to American national interests.
January 22, 1980
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