Gates Pushing for Lame Duck Ratification of START Treaty?
BY Herschel Smith
14 years ago
Mr. Obama has stated that we wants the lame duck Congress to ratify the START treaty. A commenter at NRO’s Corner observes:
The Russian Duma’s Foreign Affairs Committee just today revoked its previous ratification of START, citing amendments made by our Senate stipulating that the treaty does not cover missile defense systems or ballistic missiles with conventional warheads.
Hopefully this will increase the likelihood that the treaty is not ratified, but regardless, it shows how unacceptably sweeping, burdensome, and one-sided the Russians intend and expect it to be on our systems.
Then again, given the horrible panic that besets this administration, it’s entirely possible that this lame duck Congress will undo the stipulations they have placed on the treaty. Frank Gaffney weighs in with his own views of START. John Bolton also has salient points. Suffice it to say that the case is clear and simple. Nuclear weapons have contributed more to the safety and health of the public and general peace among nations than anything in the second half of the twentieth century. Without them, hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions of people would have died in wars of all types.
But now Secretary Gates has hopped on the band wagon.
Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters Gates joined Obama and Clinton in urging the Senate to approve the treaty during the lame-duck session, but denied that the appeal was being made “because of some political calculus that it may stand a better chance of passage during that time.”
“I think we’re advancing it at this time and pushing for ratification because we need this and we need it sooner than later,” he added.
No political calculus. Right. The most damning part of Gates’ participation in this defense debacle is that his counsel directly and profoundly contradicts the counsel of his own Department of Defense when applying the best military analysis to the circumstances.
This is a sad sellout. I am very disappointed in Secretary Gates, and I simply cannot understand why he would be taking such a dangerous position. I would resign before jumping in bed with START. But I am not Secretary of Defense, and Mr. Gates will answer for his own actions. To whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48).
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