Republicans - Let A New Nuclear Arms Race Begin!

    President Obama’s hopes of ratifying a new arms control treaty (Start II) with Russia this year appeared to unravel on Tuesday as a Senate Republican leader (Senator Kyl-Republican-Arizona) moved to block a vote in what could be a devastating blow to the president’s most tangible foreign policy achievement..

    In recent days, the administration dangled an additional $4 billion in hopes of winning his support, but Mr. Kyl held out. The administration has also promised to spend more than $100 billion over 10 years upgrading the triad of nuclear weapons: submarines, bombers and missiles.

    The senator’s statement Tuesday blindsided White House. On Monday, an administration official working on the issue expressed hope that a deal could be reached with Mr. Kyl this week. The official,  in an interview Monday, said that the administration had had “very positive conversations” with Mr. Kyl...

    NYT link

    The treaty would reduce the limit on strategic warheads to 1,550 for each country from the current ceiling of 2,200. It also would set up new procedures to allow both countries to inspect each other's arsenals to verify compliance.

    SF Examiner link

    Forget that Obama and Russian President Medvedev signed the Treaty in April, that it will allow inspections of Russian nukes, active and mothballed, for security to ensure they are safe from being stolen by terrorists, forget that Russia has been moving to help us pressure Iran, and that we need Russia to help with routes to transport supplies to our troops in Afghnaistan. Forget also that all the parties below signed a letter encouraging the Senate to approve the treaty:

     

    Madeleine Albright Secretary of State 1997-2001
    Howard Baker US Senator (R-TN) 1967-85
    Samuel Berger National Security Advisor 1997-2001
    Linton Brooks Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration, 2002-07
    Harold Brown Secretary of Defense 1977-81
    Frank Carlucci Secretary of Defense 1987-89
    Warren Christopher Secretary of State 1993-97
    William Cohen Secretary of Defense 1997-2001
    John C. Danforth US Senator (R-MO) 1977-95
    Kenneth M. Duberstein White House Chief of Staff 1988-89
    Chuck Hagel US Senator (R-NE) 1997-2009
    Lee Hamilton US Congressman (D-IN) 1965-99; Co-Chair, PSA Advisory Board
    Gary Hart US Senator (D-CO) 1975-87
    Rita E. Hauser Chair, International Peace Institute
    Carla Hills US Trade Representative 1989-93
    Nancy Kassebaum-Baker US Senator (R-KS) 1978-97
    Thomas Kean Governor (R-NJ) 1982-90; 9/11 Commission Chair
    Richard Leone President, The Century Foundation
    Donald McHenry US Ambassador to the UN 1979-81
    Sam Nunn US Senator (D-GA) 1972-96
    William Perry Secretary of Defense 1994-97
    Thomas Pickering Under Secretary of State 1997-2000
    Colin L. Powell Secretary of State 2001- 05
    Warren Rudman US Senator (R-NH) 1980-92; Co-Chair, PSA Advisory Board
    Alan Simpson US Senator (R-WY) 1979-97
    George Shultz Secretary of State 1982-89
    Theodore Sorensen White House Special Counsel 1961-63
    John Whitehead Deputy Secretary of State 1985-88
    Timothy E. Wirth US Senator (D-CO) 1987-93
    Frank Wisner Under Secretary of State 1992-93      pdf of the letter

    even the uber US geo-politcal strategist and diplomat Henry Kissinger endorses Obama's START II.

    Obama administration has pledged over $80 billion to 'modernize' out nuclear weapons and delivery systems over the next 10 years.  Can we afford it? How much of that $100 billion is for GOP demands for new 'cute nukes' to use when regular bombs won't work so well, in our next unnecessary war?

    Does Senator Kyl and the GOP really want to keep us safe, or have they calculated that a nuclear weapon used in a terror attack would be a win/win for 'keeping us safe' Republicans?

    How long will Obama play Charlie Brown in the GOP game of Lucy snatching the football? Where are the Presidential speeches about smoking guns and mushroom clouds due to loose nukes and GOP stonewalling? Senator Grassley on financial reform, Senator Snowe on health care reform, and now Senator Kyl on the Russian nuclear treaty? This time the party of NO has gone way too far, and it is high time for Obama to personally smack them down! For instance, "Unless the Senate acts on this agreement now, if a nuclear weapon is detonated anywhere in the world in a future terrorist attack, the fact is it may have been caused by the Republicans blocking the ratification of this treaty". I am not, unfortunately, holding my breath for some kick-ass political talk from Obama.

     Slim Pickens, Dr. Strangelove

     

    Comments

    Uh-oh; sounds like someone is experiencing some serious Gullible-Charlie-Brown fatigue!  Tongue out


    Pardon me, but I believe McConnell was dead serious when he said he wanted to make sure Obama was a one term President. So why are you so surprised? I sure wish someone would clue Obama in that he can use those olive branches he keeps offering GOPer's as aswitch to beat some sense into them for a change.


    I have ceased being surprised at the lack of political moxie by our esteemed President. I also know the GOP wants him to be one termer. I expect that they will achieve that goal.

    I didn't know the GOP political jujitsu would go so far as to delay or kill an important nuclear weapons treaty which would make the world safer from loose nukes, and one that even Henry Kissinger said should be passed by the Senate.


    Here's Isao Hashimoto's time-lapse map of nuclear explosions between 1945 and 1998:


    USA.  NUMBER ONE.  USA NUMBER ONE.  USA.  NUMBER ONE. 


    Could you sum up the point of the flash for those who don't watch flash video's?


    Flashes of light appear on the map to signify the locations of nuclear detonations (obviously almost all tests) year by year, from 1945 to 1998.  The blasts of course begin with New Mexico, and then Hiroshima and Nagasaka, to then continue with every known blast through 1998.  Some years, especially during the early 60's, the display is very busy.  And concurrent with each flash of light, counters next to the flags of the nations that are setting off the bombs tick up with each bomb each bomb according to its origin. 

    And the US wins, with around a third more detonations under its imprimateur than any other nation.  The Soviets seem to have run a rather distant second. 

     


    Makes one kinda think about cancer and climate change, watching that.

    Just so, Lis.  The same thoughts occurred to me too. 


    Our reckless and war loving government of years past, kids learn how to survive. Bert the Turtle knows what to do when he sees the flash! Duck and Cover! The internet archive has this 9 minute 1951 US Federal Civil Defense film for download and viewing. It says nuclear weapons explosions are like storms or car accidents, we can't prevent nuclear war so we just have to get ready and learn like Bert the Turtle, Duck! and Cover! Its like having Mr. Rodgers explain a nuclear explosion. Bert the Turtle


    As if it's as easy as smelling smoke and crawling on the floor for the nearest exit.  They don't tell you about what happens after you get out from under cover in those sweet lil Bert videos, do they? 

     


    Yeah, taxes go up to buy more better 'nukular' weapons.


    This and the Eric Cantor/Israel thing from last week literally make me sick and oh so very angry. I know it's been said over and over and over, but these guys are really fucking stupid and have no idea how to lead. It's one thing to fight with the Democrats over economic and social domestic policy. I think they're severely misguided in their ideas (I just giggled a little when I wrote that. Ideas? Yeah, right!), but to lack an understanding that when they play their fun little junior high games at an foreign policy level, they seriously risk undermining America's position in the world is downright criminal.   


    When your only objective is to get political power, America's position in the world can take care of itself.

    Being old enough to have lived through the Reagan years, there is no doubt in my mind that William Casey, GHBush or others in the Reagan team made a pre-election deal with Iran aka the US embassy hostages just before the 1980 election, as related by National Security Adviser Gary Sick in his book October Surprise.

    We know for sure that Iran released the hostages within minutes of Reagan taking the oath of office (why?) and that the Reagan administration sent loads of banned missiles, spare parts and weapons to Iran for $$$ (to fund their illegal Contra war) and to release more hostages which Iran had its surrogates take in Lebanon when they figured arms for US hostages was a good business. Impeaching Clinton and trying to undercut his role in the Bosnia war and genocide when ALL of Europe backed the operation was not exactly good for America.

    The GOP is kryptonite for America and we will get more of their kind of medicine, hard and strong, with Boehner and Co. back in a position to do more damage.


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