U.S. public debate New START

obama administration officials discussing new start treaty @ meeting.

the arms control association led efforts rally political support, arguing treaty needed restore on-site verification , lend predictability u.s.-russian strategic relationship. other organizations supporting treaty include federation of american scientists, , disarmament expert peter wilk of physicians social responsibility called new start treaty essential ensuring safer world , stronger diplomatic ties russia.

republican supporters included former president george h. w. bush , 6 former republican secretaries of state, wrote supportive op-eds in washington post , wall street journal. conservative columnist robert kagan, supported treaty, says goals modest compared previous start treaties , treaty should not fail because of partisan disagreements. kagan said republican insistence on upgrading u.s. nuclear arsenal reasonable not affected current language of treaty.

the heritage action america advocacy group, affiliate of heritage foundation, took lead in opposing new start, lobbying senate along running petition drive , airing political advertisements before november s midterm elections. effort drew support of presidential candidate mitt romney, , has been credited former senate majority leader tom daschle changing republican votes. according heritage foundation president ed feulner, language of new start treaty reduce america s nuclear weapon capacity wouldn t reduce russia s, , russia maintain 10–1 advantage in tactical nuclear weapons, not counted in treaty.

arms control experts critical of treaty included robert joseph, former undersecretary of state arms control , international security, , eric edelman, undersecretary of defense policy, have written treaty weakens u.s. defenses. former cia director james woolsey said concessions russian demands make difficult support senate approval of new treaty .

senators jon kyl , mitch mcconnell complained lack of funding next-generation bomber during treaty debate though platform not constrained treaty. during senatorial debate on ratification of new start treaty russia, senator james inhofe (r-ok) stated russia cheats in every arms control treaty have them , caused uproar in russian media. additionally, there concerns possibility of restrictions being imposed on deployment of missile defense systems u.s.

the pentagon s report on strategic nuclear forces of russian federation pursuant section 1240 of national defense authorization act fiscal year 2012 found if russia did cheat , achieved total surprise attack breakout force, have little no effect on u.s. nuclear retaliatory capabilities.