Nuclear Arms Control Negotiation

The lead article in today’s New York Times, “U.S. and Russia Agree to Slash Nuclear Arms,” describes a new agreement between the United States and Russia on a treaty to reduce nuclear weapons. Pending a final call between President Obama and President Medvedev, it is due to be signed in Prague on April 8.

The treaty, of course, requires a vote of two-thirds approval, 67 votes, in the Senate, and it comes at a time when Democrats and Republicans have been particularly polarized regarding the healthcare debate. However, there does seem to be some cautious willingness to work together and maybe those times are behind us.

The agreement reduces various categories of weapons including missiles, heavy bombers and warheads by about one quarter, and it has been praised by arms control groups such as the Arms Control Association and Global Zero. The main sticking point seems to have been the use of defensive shields, with Russia opposed and the United States in favor. As a compromise, there was some linkage about these shields in the preamble of the agreement but not in any of the concrete limitations.

After the recent healthcare debate, this agreement represents yet another success for President Obama and should be a heartening moment for all Americans.