...As soon as the United States officially withdrew from the ABM Treaty, Russia promptly announced termination of START II (click here).[1] According to Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, Moscow still hopes “to continue negotiations on issues surrounding the ABM Treaty,” thinking the balance between offensive and defensive strategic armaments is still important. Russians still hope to assuage their concerns of the “reversibility” potential, which they think the United States is getting through the Treaty of Moscow, in the Bilateral Implementation Commission this document established....
America withdraws from ABM treaty (click here). Neocons love war and death. The goal to this was to return the USA to Nuclear Weapon Technology Research such as the very high tech idea of 'Nuclear Tipped Bunker Buster Bombs' rather than simply Depleted Uranium in the bombs the USA Military has now. Yep. Iraq is a Geiger-counter's dream come true.
"I have concluded the ABM treaty hinders our government's ability to develop ways to protect our people from future terrorist or rogue-state missile attacks," Mr Bush announced following a meeting with his National Security Council.
Russia's Reaction per the Former President and Current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin :: "This step was not a surprise for us. However, we consider it a mistake."
Sam Nunn has been fielded as a Vice Presidential running mate for Obama (click here). Nunn is noted to be one of the authors of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policies for allowing gays in the military (click here). It has been a very long lasting military directive for decades; it's second decade actually. It is a law that initially could be viewed as a 'stepping stone' that can be changed now that gay members of the military have proven to be very valuable and possibly the people with the greatest insight to change that regulation (click here). It is an issue that will be 'spin' for the Republicans, including some of the same issues Clinton raises with Obama's so called, 'lack of experience.' But, the military regulation has to be looked at again, there are idiots like General Pace that felt completely exonerated from controversy screaming anti-gay rhetoric. That was probably encouraged by Rove and Bush.
...The scene is set for a tussle between the two candidates for the support of some of the sharpest and most independent minds in politics (click here). Obama is hoping to appoint cross-party figures to his cabinet such as Chuck Hagel, the Republican senator for Nebraska and an opponent of the Iraq war, and Richard Lugar, leader of the Republicans on the Senate foreign relations committee....
Richard Lugar with Barack Obama in August 2005 near Perm, Russia
Obama to visit nuclear, biological weapons destruction facilities in former Soviet Union (click here)
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington Contact: Robert Gibbs or Tommy Vietor, (202) 228-5511Illinois
Contact: Julian Green, (312) 886-3506
Date: August 23, 2005
Obama to visit nuclear, biological weapons destruction facilities in former Soviet UnionSchedule for Obama, Lugar Trip to Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and EnglandWASHINGTON - On Wednesday, August 24th, U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) will begin a trip to visit nuclear and biological weapons destruction sites in Russia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan with Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Richard Lugar (R-IN). They will also meet with top political and military officials in each of these countries. The trip includes a strop in England and a meeting with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
In 1991, Senator Lugar (R-IN) and former Senator Sam Nunn (D-GA) authored the Nunn-Lugar Act, which established the Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) Program. This program has provided U.S. funding and expertise to help the former Soviet Union safeguard and dismantle its enormous stockpiles of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, related materials, and delivery systems. Since the law was passed, the program has deactivated or destroyed: 6,760 nuclear warheads; 587 ICBMs; 483 ICBM silos; 32 ICBM mobile missile launchers; 150 bombers; 789 nuclear air-to-surface missiles; 436 submarine missile launchers; 549 submarine launched missiles; 28 nuclear submarines; and 194 nuclear test tunnels. Obama and Lugar will be reviewing the status of current CTR programs as well as looking for opportunities to expand the scope and reach of this highly effective program....
Where does McCain stand on Nuclear Non-Proliferation? He is a "Flip-flopper" - So far he has taken TWO, count them two separate stands on the issue within the last year. First he stated he didn't consider it possible to have nuclear non-proliferation with 'peaceful use of nuclear technology' and NOW he states with international supervision he is all for it. Of course, taking the stance that there could be no peaceful use of nuclear technology, but, only that nuclear weapon technology must follow, places the USA at war with just about every country in the Middle East, including Israel (click here).
Two years after his Senator Obama visited Russia the Obama-Hagel Bill was passed in the Seante.
Senate Passes Obama-Hagel Provision Aimed at Preventing Nuclear Terrorism (click here)
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contact: Amy Brundage (Obama) or Jordan Stark (Hagel)
Legislation requires plan to secure global stockpiles of nuclear weapons and material by 2012
WASHINGTON, DC -- The Senate recently passed a provision authored by Senators Barack Obama (D-IL) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE) to help keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists. The legislation was included as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2008 State-Foreign Operations appropriations bill.
The Obama-Hagel amendment requires the President to submit to Congress a comprehensive plan for ensuring that all nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material at vulnerable sites around the world are secure by 2012 from the threats that terrorists have shown they can pose. “Securing nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material at their source is the most direct and reliable way to prevent nuclear terrorism,” said Senator Obama. “It is imperative that we build and sustain a truly global effort under an aggressive timeline to secure, consolidate, and reduce stockpiles of nuclear weapons and weapons-usable material to keep them out of the wrong hands.”
“Nuclear proliferation will be one of the defining challenges for the United States and the world in the 21st century. The U.S. must actively engage the international community in a constructive dialogue that will focus on strengthening the current international nuclear nonproliferation framework. This amendment provides the directive for development of a comprehensive strategy to adequately secure and account for nuclear stockpiles throughout the world. There is no higher priority for America and the world than to address this great threat to mankind,” Senator Hagel said....
