Richard Klass: Questions about Questions about New START

McConnell slams START, but facts don't back him up - Politics AP - MiamiHerald.com
WASHINGTON -- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell detailed Monday on the Senate floor his reasons for opposing New START, the nuclear arms reduction accord the Obama Administration negotiated with Russia. Many of his assertions don't check out. Here is an assessment of the case made by the Kentucky Republican and other critics for opposing passage of the treaty by the lame-duck Senate. -"First and foremost, a decision of this magnitude should not be decided under the pressure of a deadline...

Several GOP senators back arms treaty with Russia as ratification support builds
Video Obama: Ratifying START Treaty a U.S. imperative A stern President Barack Obama says it is a 'National Security imperative' for the Senate to ratify a pending nuclear arms treaty with Russia before ending its work this year. » LAUNCH VIDEO PLAYER Network News X Profile View More Activity TOOLBOX Resize Print E-mail Reprints COMMENT 0 Comments Your browser's settings may be preventing you from commenting on and viewing comments about this item. See instructions for fixing th...

Kremlin poker-faced as US Senate mulls arms pact
MOSCOW - As the U.S. Senate inches toward a vote on a pivotal arms treaty with Russia, officials and lawmakers in Moscow are anxiously awaiting the outcome of a debate that may shape U.S.-Russian ties for years ahead. The Senate's failure to ratify the New START Treaty would deal a harsh blow to the still fragile rapprochement between Moscow and Washington and could push the Kremlin to challenge U.S. interests across the globe. A rejection of the pact could also weaken global stability by ...

Judith Miller: Man Up, Republicans and Do the Right Thing On START
It says something about the weirdness of our times that the Senate's approval of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" could lead to the scuttling of a major Arms Control treaty with Russia that could jeopardize American National Security. Though a few conservative experts have opposed the pact, the latest strategic arms reduction treaty with Moscow, known as "New START," should be a nuclear no-brainer. The treaty, which would require Washington and Moscow to reduce their strategic nuclear arsenals by about 3...

Kremlin poker-faced as US Senate mulls arms pact (AP)
Moscow – As the U.S. Senate inches toward a vote on a pivotal arms treaty with Russia, officials and lawmakers in Moscow are anxiously awaiting the outcome of a debate that may shape U.S.-Russian ties for years ahead. The Senate's failure to ratify the New START Treaty would deal a harsh blow to the still fragile rapprochement between Moscow and Washington and could push the Kremlin to challenge U.S. interests across the globe. A rejection of the pact could also weaken global stability b...

Intense lobbying in US Senate on nuclear treaty
WASHINGTON: As the US Senate prepared for a critical vote on the Obama Administration's nuclear arms treaty with Russia, Moscow warned legislators not to alter the treaty's terms and the White House stepped up lobbying to have the pact ratified. Most Senate Republicans continued their so-far unsuccessful effort to change the treaty - and deny President Barack Obama a Foreign Policy victory. The Senate vote on limiting debate on the treaty, due in Washington yesterday, required the support of 60 ...

GOP Senate leader won't vote for nuclear arms pact with Russia
Sen. Mitch McConnell says he fears that the START Treaty might hamper American Missile Defenses. WASHINGTON — The Senate's Republican leader said Sunday that he would oppose a nuclear arms treaty with Russia, complicating President Barack Obama's drive to secure a Foreign Policy victory in the final days of the post-election Congress. Democrats still expressed confidence the Senate would ratify the accord and pushed for a showdown vote early this week. The White House and Democrats are de...

McConnell to Vote Against Russia Arms Treaty
Nov. 3: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., left, and House Republican leader John Boehner of Ohio on Capitol Hill. WASHINGTON -- The Senate's Republican leader said Sunday he would oppose a nuclear arms treaty with Russia, complicating President Barack Obama's drive to secure a Foreign Policy victory in the final days of the postelection Congress. Senior Democrats still expressed confidence the Senate would ratify the accord and pushed for a showdown vote early this week. The White H...

First member of Senate GOP leadership announces support for arms treaty
Senate Republican Conference Chairman Lamar Alexander (Tenn.) will vote to ratify the nuclear arms treaty with Russia, making him the first member of the GOP leadership to pledge support for the Obama Administration priority. “I will vote to ratify the New START Treaty between the United States and Russia because it leaves our country with enough nuclear warheads to blow any attacker to kingdom come, and because the president has committed to an $85 billion 10-year plan to make sure that th...

Kremlin poker-faced as US Senate mulls arms pact
MOSCOW — As the U.S. Senate inches toward a vote on a pivotal arms treaty with Russia, officials and lawmakers in Moscow are anxiously awaiting the outcome of a debate that may shape U.S.-Russian ties for years ahead. The Senate’s failure to ratify the New START Treaty would deal a harsh blow to the still fragile rapprochement between Moscow and Washington and could push the Kremlin to challenge U.S. interests across the globe. A rejection of the pact could also weaken global stabili...

Senate Republican leader says he'll vote against New START
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) announced that Sunday he will vote against a new U.S.-Russia nuclear-arms accord, a move that could pressure other Republicans in what is likely to be a close vote at the end of Congress's lame-duck session. His statement came as Sen. Jon Kyl (Ariz.), the chamber's second-ranking Republican, also said he would not support the treaty unless it was amended. Supporters of the pact played down the announcements, saying they had not expected the backin...

Joint Chiefs chair calls on Senate to pass START treaty in Tuesday vote
Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass., tells reporters Monday at the U.S. Capitol that he will vote to approve the New START nuclear arms treaty with Russia. (Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images) WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff appealed to the Senate on Monday to quickly pass a new nuclear arms treaty with Russia, saying it was "vital to National Security." The letter from Adm. Mike Mullen could increase pressure on wavering Republican senators, who, if they voted no, would be in th...

Obama has votes to ratify US-Russia nuclear pact
President Barack Obama has the votes for Senate ratification of a new Arms Control treaty with Russia, all but assuring a major Foreign Policy victory. At least 10 Republicans have announced publicly that they will vote for the accord, with several Republicans coming on board Tuesday. "I think it's going to pass and more than just pass," Bob Corker, one of the Republicans backing the treaty told reporters. Ratification would be the latest of several political victories for Obama since his Democr...

Long START Battle's End Phase
Ratification of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), a nuclear reduction agreement with Russia, seems to be within reach ahead of today's congressional vote (NYT). Nine Republican senators said they would vote for the treaty or are leaning toward (The Hill) doing so, making it likely the Senate will reach the sixty-seven votes needed for ratification. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, appealed to the Senate (WashPost) to ratify the treaty. "I continue to belie...

Words of Wisdom from Americas Military Leaders. Again.
Words of Wisdom from America’s Military Leaders. Again. Over the past week, leading uniformed officials have continued to urge the Senate to ratify New START.  There is a reason the tide has turned and additional GOP senators have gone on record to say they will support New START:  The treaty has the entire support of the United States military leadership. Despite desperate attempts to drag this debate into partisan waters, New START has the Bipartisan support it needs. ...

Bottom Falls Out on New START Opposition
Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander, number three on the Republican leadership team, will support ratification of the strategic arms agreement. With the leadership split and moderates such as Scott Brown already crossed over, more GOP Senators have the latitude to back the treaty. National Review's Rich Lowry hears it could go as high as 75 votes in favor overall. The next vote, expected around 2 p.m. ET today, is to close debate and requires 60 votes. Final ratification will need a two-thirds maj...

Arms Treaty Appears to Have Votes to Pass Senate
WASHINGTON — A new Arms Control treaty that will pare back the Nuclear Arsenals of the United States and Russia secured enough support for Senate approval on Tuesday, as a rush of Republicans endorsed it in advance of an afternoon vote to close off debate. Four more Republican senators — Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Bob Corker of Tennessee and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — announced on Tuesday that they would vote yes, joining five others who had previ...

Addressed By The POTUS
In today’s Weekly Address, President Obama urges the Senate to heed the calls from Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, every living Republican Secretary of State, our NATO allies, and the leadership of the Military: ratify the New START Treaty with Russia. You can catch the president’s address on BHR every Saturday, shortly after it is released by the White House....

Post Now Admits Open Gays Can NOT Join Military
The law that was passed says the Homosexual exclusion policy can only be lifted if it can be demonstrated by Military authorities that the change will not adversely affect Military readiness, recruitment, and retention. Only two days after it proclaimed the end of the Pentagon’s Homosexual exclusion policy, The Washington Post is now admitting that open homosexuals can NOT join the Military services. “‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ ban on gays won’t change immediately,

Corker Makes Case for START
Sen. Bob Corker (R., Tenn.), speaking on the Senate floor today, gave a spirited defense of the New START Treaty and the negotiations leading up to its (now all but inevitable) ratification. “I think we have enhanced our National Security just by having these debates,” he said, adding that Republicans have been “very successful” in securing commitments from Democrats and the White House to address concerns over weapon modernization and Missile Defense. Corker, who at one ...

Democrats Mock Palins New START Opposition
If Sarah Palin opposes it, it must be fantastic policy. That’s the argument behind the latest Democrat argument for supporting the New START Treaty. In a snide Press Release today (via David Weigel), Democrats use professional photos of those who agree with them and an unflattering photo of Palin to argue that the only serious position on New START is approval. “In supporting ratification of the New START Treaty, Democrats are siding with the cross-party consensus view of virtually t...

Ground-Based Midcourse Defense Failure?
On December 15, the Missile Defense Agency conducted an unsuccessful test of Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD), a long-range Ballistic Missile defense system designed to protect the U.S. homeland against a missile threat from North Korea or Iran. The initial review suggests that the failure occurred because an undetermined problem with the newest kill vehicle configuration. A more detailed review of why the GMD system failed to intercept and destroy the target has been initiated. However, i...

Senate Dems push ahead on arms control treaty
WASHINGTON—Democrats have moved a step closer toward a crucial Senate vote on a new Arms Control treaty with Russia, beating back Republican efforts to alter the accord and setting up a showdown with the GOP on President Barack Obama's top Foreign Policy priority. The White House has made ratification of the landmark agreement an imperative in the closing days of the postelection Congress, but its hopes for the pact were complicated Sunday as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.,...

McConnell: We dont need no stinkin Russian nuclear treaty
Sen. Mitch McConnell The Senate’s Republican leader said Sunday he would oppose a nuclear arms treaty with Russia, damaging prospects for President Barack Obama‘s Foreign Policy priority in the final days of the postelection Congress. Top Democrats still expressed confidence the Senate would ratify the accord by year’s end. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., criticized the treaty’s verification system and expressed concern that the pact would limit U.S. missile defen...

Killer Drones Converge on California, Ready to Take Off
Five years ago, the Pentagon was on cusp of an air-combat revolution. For a few brief, heady months in late 2005, it looked like the U.S. Military might soon launch full-scale development of a new class of fast, lethal Unmanned Aerial Vehicles eventually capable of replacing all kinds of fighter jets, from the older F-15s, F-16s, and F-18s to the latest F-22s. But the revolution fizzled when the Air Force abandoned its share of the so-called Joint Unmanned Combat Air System effort. Manned jets...