Military Leaders Refute GOP New START Claims

David Streeter — December 16, 2010 – 5:02 pm | Foreign Policy | GOP Hypocrisies | Military | Republicans Comments (0) Add a comment

The Associated Press reported that U.S. military leaders have refuted a number of the claims made by certain Republicans who are obstructing the ratification of the New START treaty. According to the AP:

U.S. military leaders dismissed Republican claims that a new arms treaty with Russia would hamper America’s missile defense efforts as supporters tried Thursday to nudge the pact toward ratification in the Senate.

President Barack Obama has pushed for approval of the treaty in Congress’ lame-duck session, a chance for a foreign policy victory to cap a politically difficult year. Conservative Republicans stand in the way, asserting that the United States made too many concessions in negotiations with Russia and the treaty would limit U.S. defense options.

‘They get everything out of it,’ insisted Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz. ‘I don’t know what we get out of it except for the president to say he made another arms control deal with Russia.’

Countering those arguments - though unlikely to appease some Republicans - Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters at the White House on Thursday that the treaty ‘in no way limits anything we want or have in mind on missile defense.’

Marine Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, echoed Gates’ assertion, saying the New START treaty has ‘no prohibitions’ to America’s ability to move forward on missile defense.

‘We need START and we need it badly,’ Cartwright said.

In addition to standing against the recommendations of top military leaders, certain Republican leaders are also standing against the recommendations of five former Republican Secretaries of State, former President George H.W. Bush, and a multitude of Jewish organizations.

 

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