Posted on 02/03/2009 1:57:23 PM PST by Sub-Driver
President Obama seeks Russia deal to slash nuclear weapons
President Obama will convene the most ambitious arms reductions talks with Russia for a generation, aiming to slash each country’s stockpile of nuclear weapons by 80 per cent.
The radical treaty would reduce the number of nuclear warheads to 1,000 each, The Times has learnt. Key to the initiative is a review of the Bush Administration’s plan to deploy a US missile defence shield in eastern Europe, a project fiercely opposed by Moscow.
Mr Obama is to establish a non-proliferation office at the White House to oversee the talks, expected to be headed by Gary Samore, a non-proliferation negotiator in the Clinton Administration. The talks will be driven by Hillary Clinton’s State Department.
No final decision on the defence shield has been taken by Mr Obama. Yet merely delaying the placement of US missiles in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic — which if deployed would cost the US $4 billion annually — removes what has been a major impediment to Russian co-operation on arms reduction.
Any agreement would put pressure on Britain, which has 160 nuclear warheads, and other nuclear powers to reduce their stockpiles.
Mr Obama has pledged to put nuclear weapons reduction at the heart of his presidency and his first move will be to reopen talks with Moscow to replace the 1991 US-Soviet Start Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which expires in December. Under that pact, the two countries have cut their respective stockpiles from roughly 10,000 to 5,000.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Now how could that possibly go wrong with Obama negotiating for the U.S. and Putin for Russia?
Why doesn't the Obammy just raise a "Come and Get US Flag over the WH?
Gee, maybe its just me...but this doesn’t seem nearly as important as say....THE ECONOMY MELTING DOWN.
Sheesh....
My guess The Obamanation throws in the cost of dismantling, plus some walking around money, plus an “American was evil” joint press conference and that they take our offer running.
Build us an impregnable missile defense system, and we really could get by with very few nukes indeed. Unfortunately, I doubt that’s a priority.
Radical is right.
Reductions between us and the Soviets are in themselves ok, but what about China? And if this is an excuse not to develop the missile shield against Iran and North Kores...
Everything Obama does is based on ideology not reason.
It was Rev Wright who taught him our nuclear weapons are evil.
learnt? WTF?
Lex Luthor vs. Steve Urkel
20% of today’s nukes is still enough to blow up the world many times over.
This would make NO difference.
What about China’s nukes?
Jimmy Carter on steroids!
Here's a better plan. Let's work to reduce nuclear weapons (and their development) in places like North Korea, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, China, and any other third world nations.
Then let's work to expand and improve nuclear weapons in the US.
Now that's a change you can believe in. You'd best be hopin' so.
A pipe dream which will never happen.
Odumbo really fell off the turnip truck.
You forgot moving out of Gitmo so Russia can use it for peaceful purposes.
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