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Thursday, December 23rd, 2010

New START Treaty: How Will Next Efforts for Nuclear Weapons Reduction Fare?

Author:     HOWARD LAFRANCHI
Source:     The Christian Science Monitor
Publication Date:     22-Dec-10
 Link: New START Treaty: How Will Next Efforts for Nuclear Weapons Reduction Fare?
Stephan:   This is a profound and positive piece of good news. I spent over a year involved with the naval aspects of the START Treaty, and I just can't over-emphasize how important and positive I think this development is. I also want to acknowledge those Republicans -- mostly members who have been in the Senate long enough to remember why START is so critical -- who broke ranks with their party to make the life affirming choice.

WASHINGTON — With Wednesday’s Senate ratification of a new nuclear-arms reduction treaty with Russia, President Obama accomplished what he has said for months was his top foreign-policy priority.

The irony of Mr. Obama’s triumph is that, rather than constituting the dawn of a new era of measures reducing the nuclear threat, it may turn out to be the high-water mark in his efforts to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

With Vice President Joe Biden presiding and Secretary of State (and former senator) Hillary Rodham Clinton in attendance, the Senate voted 71 to 26 to ratify the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), achieving the two-thirds vote required to ratify a treaty.

In Wednesday’s vote, 13 Republicans voted for ratification. The Senate that takes office in January will be more Republican (though it will still have a Democratic majority), and a number of new senators will be markedly more conservative on foreign-policy issues like arms control, some political experts say.

‘The 2010 elections changed the political landscape,

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