The Obama Administration’s hope of securing the ratification of the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) with Russia could be hitting the rocks after the US midterm elections have weakened his party’s hold on the Senate.
Some officials are hoping that the lame-duck Congress will hurry up and pass the START before the new Congress seats, but this could force a hasty debate and seems to be opposed by even some proponents of the treaty.
Some Republican Senators are opposing the treaty on the grounds that it would “weaken” the US nuclear arsenal and that it does not give the US oversight over the Russian arsenal to ensure that they are fulfilling their side of the deal.
The reality, of course, is that the previous START treaty’s limitations were never fully met by either side, and the new treaty, which only pledges modest cuts, is probably more lip-service to the idea of arms reduction than any actual guarantee to that end. Russia remains irked about the US missile defense system growing along their borders, and the only way the deal was even made was to avoid mentioning it entirely. Failing to get the deal ratified will be a big political defeat for the president, but may also send the signal that even modest cuts in the enormous and expensive US nuclear weapons arsenal are being resisted by those in power.
Those in power resisting cuts in the nuclear weapons arsenal? Are you kidding, Justin? Who would've thought it.
I reckon that we have about 15 years left, max before the world is destroyed. America will be mainly to blame though Israel, its ugly child, will have to share some of the blame.
We Aberrations have been playing with war for too long. We are going to reap what we have sown. My latest post explains why.
http://www.dangerouscreation.com
This is really a pity because nuclear weapons are out dated. The problem with nukes is that not only do they destroy 'the enemy' but they also destroy everything else on planet earth. Including the people who sent them.
With all of the advances with air/fuel explosives, nukes are like dinosaurs by comparison.
With over 60 amendments to it, it already looks shaky. Russia's Lower House has already cancelled its ratification. The changes are such that it does look like the process may have been for nothing. Sorry to say, but it is not the Republicans that have much to do with it. Democrats, and the White House are not on the same page, and the sharade here is only meant to pass the blame on to Republicans. Both are Parties are not serious on anything that matters, and are acting absolutely ridiculous. I doubt that they will understand what to do if someone at the table asks them to pass the mustard.