http://www.geostrategy-direct.com/geostrategy-direct/secure/2010/11_10/ba.as p?
Lugar attacks Republicans opposing New START Liberal Republican Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana last week attacked fellow Republicans for blocking ratification of the New START arms treaty with Russia. Speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations, Lugar on Oct. 27 challenged conservatives who oppose the treaty because it will restrict U.S. missile defenses, claiming the assertion is completely false. He also took issue with conservative senators who said U.S. and Russian officials have struck a secret deal on missile defense. "Of course it's very hard to rebut secret negotiations," Lugar said. "I would just say there aren't any." The START treaty, will impose major limitations and nuclear forces reductions on the United States and has not been thoroughly examined or debated by the Senate, which constitutionally must provide its advice and consent on all treaties. For example, the Obama administration has refused to provide the Senate with the secret negotiating record of the arms talks, that U.S. officials say will highlight concessions made to the Russians that would likely undermine Senate support for ratification. Six Republican senators in early October asked Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to provide documents on secret talks between U.S. and Russian officials on missile defenses, amid conflicting reports that a deal with Moscow is close to completion. "We are writing to request information pertaining to press reports suggesting the imminent conclusion of a missile defense agreement between Russia and the United States," the senators stated in the letter sent Oct. 18. The senators want documents and transcripts of talks at the Arms Control and International Security Working Group headed by Undersecretary of State Ellen Tauscher and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov. Led by Sen. Jeff Sessions, Alabama Republican, the senators suggested that a failure to provide the documents could affect the upcoming Senate debate on the ratification of the New START, the strategic arms treaty with Russia signed in April. "Senators must be assured that these talks and potential missile defense agreements will not limit U.S. and allied missile defense development and deployment in any fashion whatsoever," they stated. The senators also stated that, under Section 33 of the 1961 Arms Control and Disarmament Act, the administration cannot limit missile defenses with the Russians without following rules for treaties outlined in the law. A Senate aide said many senators fear the administration is secretly working with Moscow on a deal that will constrain U.S. defenses at a time when missile threats are growing. "The concern is that the administration is not being honest and forthcoming about the discussions that are going on," the aide said. Missile defense limits in New START are a major point of debate between treaty opponents and advocates. The new treaty contains a limit on using existing intercontinental ballistic missile silos for future missile defense interceptors. The Obama administration has said the treaty will impose no limits on U.S. missile defenses. State Department officials have denied the Tauscher-Ryabkov talks are secret but have shared few details of the talks either in public or with members of Congress. The officials also have denied there were "backroom deals" on the matter with the Russians as part of the START negotiations. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? 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