Corrected entry: Early in the film, after the arrival of the alien spacecraft, President Whitmore indicates that, "We may need to upgrade to Defcon 3" in light of the worsening situation. The Defcon scale is lowered in response to a more threatening situation, and would therefore require a "downgrade to Defcon 3."
wizard_of_gore
16th Feb 2008
Correction: This is a matter of semantics. While it is true that the numerical sequence does count down, the President is referring that we need to "upgrade" our defense status. In other words, go to a high state of readiness. In any case, it's a character decision.
wizard_of_gore ★