Research Briefing

By Sacrificing Future Weapons Programs And Caving To Russian Demands, Obama Stumbles Out Of START-ing Gate

OBAMA SPENT FIRST YEAR CHASING AFTER NEW START TREATY WITH RUSSIA …

“The U.S. And Russian Presidents Are To Sign A Pact On Thursday Committing The Former Cold War Foes To Unprecedented Nuclear Arms Reductions … After Nearly A Year Of Tough Negotiations ...” (Steve Gutterman, “Obama, Medvedev To Sign Landmark Nuclear Arms Pact,” Reuters, 4/2/10)

Yet START Treaty Not Mentioned In Reuters’ List Of “Major Foreign Policy Issues Facing New US President.” “’Here Are Some Of The Top Issues;’ War On Terrorism And Al Qaeda, Afghanistan, Iraq, Russia, Middle East Peace Process, Improving U.S. Image In The World, Guantanamo Bay, China, North Korea And Climate Change.” (“Scenarios: Major Foreign Policy Issues Facing New Us President,” Reuters, 10/29/08)

• Nor Was START Mentioned During 2008 Council On Foreign Relations Rocky Mountain Roundtable On Top Foreign Policy Challenges Facing Next Administration. (Transcript, “2008 Rocky Mountain Roundtable On International Relations: Luncheon Discussion: Foreign Policy Challenges Facing The Next Administration,” Council On Foreign Relations, 8/27/08)

Even Former Sec. Of State Madeleine K. Albright Omitted START Agreement From Her List Of Most Pressing Foreign Policy Challenges. “[O]ur next president will inherit a list of headaches beginning with hot wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, plus the global confrontation with al Qaeda. From the first day his administration will be tested by an assertive Iran; a belligerent Russia, as we have seen in Georgia recently; a rising China; a splintered Middle East; an embattled U.N.; and such interrelated global perils as climate change, high prices for energy and food, and an increasingly corrosive split between the rich and the poor.” (Transcript, “2008 Rocky Mountain Roundtable on International Relations: Luncheon Discussion: Foreign Policy Challenges Facing the Next Administration,” Council On Foreign Relations, 8/27/08)

CAVING TO THEIR DEMANDS, REDUCING ABILITY TO PROTECT OURSELVES AND OUR ALLIES …

New START Treaty Essentially Grants Russia Veto Power Over Increases Of America’s Missile Defense Shield In Europe. “It has been noted that the treaty is being signed considering the levels of strategic defense systems currently at disposal of the parties. Changes in such levels give either party the right to decide on its further participation in the strategic arms reduction process. The Russian Federation, in particular, will have the right to withdraw from the treaty if quantitative and qualitative growth of the US strategic missile defense system begins to have a significant effect on the efficiency of Russia's strategic nuclear forces. Of course, it is up to us to determine the degree of such effect.” (“Russian FM Reveals More Details About New START Treaty,” Russia Today, 4/6/10)

• And Might Allow Russia To Inspect All American Missile Locations. “But under Mr. Obama’s strategy, the missiles would be based at new sites around the United States that might even be open to inspection, so that Russia and China would know that a missile launched from those sites was not nuclear — to avoid having them place their own nuclear forces on high alert.” (David E. Sanger and Thom Shanker, “White House Is Rethinking Nuclear Policy,” The New York Times, 2/28/10)
• With Obama Already Committed To Developing No New Nuclear Weapons For America. “While Mr. Obama ended financing last year for a new nuclear warhead sought by the Bush administration, the new strategy goes further. It commits Mr. Obama to developing no new nuclear weapons, including a low-yield, deeply-burrowing nuclear warhead that the Pentagon sought to strike buried targets, like the nuclear facilities in North Korea and Iran.”  (David E. Sanger and Thom Shanker, “White House Is Rethinking Nuclear Policy,” The New York Times, 2/28/10)

New START Treaty Will Also Apply To Non-Nuclear Weapons, Further Reducing Defense Capabilities. “The new treaty will apply to all existing strategic offensive arms, both nuclear and conventional… Conventional, non-nuclear warheads will count towards the limit set for warheads, and their delivery vehicles will count toward the limit for delivery vehicles.”; “There have been several signs that this new treaty could curtail America’s ability to field conventionally armed missiles, including provisions limiting the number of both delivery vehicles … It appears that these delivery vehicles will be counted against the limit whether they carry nuclear or conventional warheads.”  (“Russian FM Reveals More Details About New START Treaty,” Russia Today, 4/6/10; “START Follow-On Treaty Could Interfere With Conventional Strike Systems,” Heritage Foundation, 11/19/09)

• While Failing To Address Russia’s Growing Tactical Nuclear Weapon Arsenal.  “Russia's nonstrategic arsenal is believed to have a quantitative upper hand over its U.S. counterpart, and Moscow could demand security concessions in exchange for rolling back the weapons. Russia maintains roughly 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons in its western territory, while the United States is believed to keep about one-tenth that number in Europe.” (“Tactical, Reserve Nuke Cuts Seen On U.S. Agenda”, Global Security Newswire, 4/6/2010)

WHILE ROGUE REGIMES CONTINUE THEIR QUESTS FOR NUCLEAR WEAPONS

IAEA Admits Iran Moving Forward With Nuclear Agenda.  “The International Atomic Energy Agency on March 3 issued a report warning that continuing nuclear activities in violation of U.N. resolutions raise ‘concerns about the possible existence in Iran of past or current undisclosed activities related to the development of a nuclear payload for a missile.’" (Bill Gertz, “CIA: Iran Capable Of Producing Nukes”, The Washington Times, 3/30/10)

• As Iran Recently Took “Significant Step Closer” To Building A Nuclear Bomb. “Iran couched its announcement in terms of a pressing need for fuel at a 41-year-old, U.S.-built research reactor that produces medical isotopes for an estimated 850,000 kidney, heart and cancer patients. But in reality it means that Iran will be a significant step closer to possessing the raw material needed to build a nuclear bomb.” (Glenn Kessler, “Analysis: Iranian Plan Will Put Nation A Step Closer To Having Material For Bomb,” The Washington Post, 2/9/10)

Despite Obama’s Rhetoric, North Korea Continued Defiant Quest With Successful Nuclear Test In 2009. “The KNCA news agency, the regime's official mouthpiece, said: ‘We have successfully conducted another nuclear test on 25 May as part of the republic's measures to strengthen its nuclear deterrent.’" (Justin Mccurry, “North Korea Test Nuclear Weapons As Powerful As Hiroshima Bomb”, The Guardian, 5/25/09)

• And Now North Korea Has Withdrawn From Disarmament Talks. “North Korea said Sunday it would no longer move forward with nuclear disarmament in response to a planned U.S.-South Korean joint military exercise… The announcement was made by the official Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA… ” (“North Korea To Abandon Disarmament Over U.S. Exercises,” CNN, 3/7/10)