By a vote of 71-26 this afternoon, the Lame Duck Senate ratified the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), exceeding the two-thirds majority required for passage.
In a major show of disrespect, 14 Republican Senators defied party leaders Mitch McConnell and John Kyl to vote with the Democrats - Indiana's Dick Lugar, Ohio’s outgoing senator George Voinovich, Utah’s outgoing Bob Bennett, Tennessee’s two senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander, Mississippi’s Thad Cochran (the ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations panel), Georgia’s Johnny Isakson, Massachusetts’s Scott Brown, New Hampshire’s Judd Gregg, Maine’s two senators Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, and Nebraska’s Mike Johanns.
This is the first time a major treaty like this has ever been voted on in a Lame Duck session. There was absolutely no reason not to hold this over until th enew Congress seated.
We've essentially traded missile defense and downgraded our nuclear deterrent in exchange for a flawed verification process.
3 comments:
I'm having trouble figuring out why anyone would agree to this!! This is the type of treaty that a defeated adversary signs. In other words, Russis gets the same type of treaty it would get if it defeated us on the battlefield. At least make the Russians earn the victory.
The only thing I can figure is the military commanders are much smarter than I am. If I know the US military stands no chance against Russia's superior forces, then they know it to. Furthermore Russian military technical savy and weapons systems are so far beyond any thing America has that the American side has no reasonable hope of closing the gap in any thing like the next thirty years or so.
This may be the logic behind pushing for the treaty. We are simply hoping to placate the most powerful country on earth. Essentially Russia already had a massive military edge over us even before this treaty. Its now gotten even bigger. Essentially there was and is no way we are going to challenge Russia on the battlefield in any area. The Russian and American military commanders are aware of this.
A war with Russia would result in rapid, overwhelming, and catastrophic defeat for the United States. This was before this treaty went into effect. Perhaps foreign policy experts are hoping to placate Russia by doing this.
In order for the United States to survive and even thrive in the coming years, it will need to have cordial relations with the world's powerful nations of Russia and China. If this treaty helps us there, perhaps it will prove worthwile.
Now with that said might there have been a better way to do this. Perhaps we could have agreed to withdraw from all of Europe and the Middle East. This essentially concedes these areas to Russian influence and dominance. In any conflict with Russia, this would be the end result any way, as the US military is NOT in ANY condition to compete effectively with the Russians on any level. If I know this, every military commander does as well and are advising their political leaderships accordingly.
Finally, had we agreed to complete withdrawls from Europe and the Middle East in exchange for keeping a viable nuclear deterrent, this, I think, would have been a MUCH better option for us.
Bottom line, this treaty should have been held over for review for the incoming Senate. We could have gotten a better deal. I think the Russians would accept a complete end to NATO, complete withdrawl by the US from the entire Middle East, and complete withdrawl of any military assets from former Soviet Republics in exchange for the United States being allowed to maintain a viable nuclear deterrent. Its not like the forces currently deployed in the areas of interest to Russia can challenge Russia any way.
Elections have consequences. But when a Republican is not a Republican what is he? (Answer a RINO). I feel we are doomed...
Hi Y'all,
We're not doomed, but there's work to be done.
See here for my take on this.
Regards,
Rob
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