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Iowa is Watching the START Treaty Negotiations
“This all sounds great! However; some conservatives
already
have their scheming wheels in motion.”
Iowans who follow nuclear disarmament issues are hoping that
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton resolves what remaining issues exist between
Russia and the United States while she is in Russia today. The Strategic
Arms Reduction Treaty (START) could then be finalized and signed by the
parties this spring, and perhaps as early as this fall, ratified by the United
States Senate. Hope springs eternal in foreign affairs and among those who
follow them. The previous START treaty expired on December 5, 2009.
The benefit of a new START treaty is that the anticipated
reductions in the number of nuclear warheads and delivery systems specified by
the treaty would help prevent nuclear terrorism and make the United States (and
the rest of the world) more secure. With fewer strategic weapons being deployed,
there is less chance of nuclear materials being stolen. In addition, the new
START agreement will help maintain a healthy nuclear relationship with Russia.
Increased verification procedures and improved data sharing would enable a
relationship of trust to exist between the two countries.
This all sounds great! However; some conservatives already
have their scheming wheels in motion. A moderate Republican senator was
recently told by Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) “don’t say anything about the Comprehensive
Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) until the two of us talk.” It is well known that Senator
Kyl seeks to attach conditions regarding CTBT ratification to the expected senate
ratification of START. It is also well-known that the Republican senators follow
Senator Kyl’s lead on nuclear issues.
Former United Nations Ambassador John Bolton said of
the START negotiations, “Mr. Obama was going too far. ‘The number they are
proposing, for delivery vehicles, is shockingly low.’” Bolton has been a
drumbeat of negativity towards President Obama’s nuclear disarmament
initiative. The only thing “shocking” is that anyone continues to listen to
Bolton.
During the debate on health care, we discovered the reality
of 21st Century Senate politics: partisan gridlock permeates
everything in Washington. This includes START, a treaty that has broad,
bipartisan support, would enhance national security and would reduce nuclear
weapons between the two parties that own the largest number of them. Why should
the senior senator from Iowa be beholden to someone like Senator Kyl, who can
only be called an extremist?
If what is suggested about Senator Chuck Grassley is true,
that he is beholden to Senator Kyl on START, the seniority he built during his
senate career is of little value to Iowans. To the extent Senator Grassley has
joined the Republican phalanx,
the less effective he will be for Iowans on important issues.
Let’s hope President Obama and Secretary Clinton conclude
the negotiations on START this week and that both Iowa senators vote for
ratification when the treaty is debated by the Senate.
~Paul
Deaton is a native Iowan living in rural Johnson County and weekend
editor of Blog for Iowa. He is also a member of Iowa Physicians for
Social Responsibility and Veterans for Peace. E-mail Paul
Deaton
To read more on this topic, try one of these articles:
New York Times Article “Obama and Medvedev Talk about Arms Treaty,” March 13, 2010.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton “Interview with Yevgenia Albats, The New Times,” March 15, 2010.
Global Security Newswire, “New START Deal Near Completion, Clinton Says,” March 16, 2010.
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