Republicans play Russian Roulette with the future. Stall START treaty ratification

I guess the new catch phrase for the right will be, To hell with the world, Obama must fail...

One of many sources

The treaty -- signed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Obama at an elaborate ceremony in Prague in April -- restricts each nation to a maximum of 1,550 deployed warheads, a cut of about 30 percent from a limit set in 2002.

The agreement, a top Obama foreign policy initiative, replaces a previous accord that lapsed in December 2009 and also requires ratification by Russia's lower house, the Duma.

Republicans have said they need to be sure that the US nuclear arsenal will be modernized and that the treaty will not hamper US missile defense efforts -- but some acknowledged privately that they did not want to hand Obama a major diplomatic victory before the elections.

The task of ratifying the accord will be even tougher in January when a new Congress, elected in November 2 polls in which Republicans routed Democrats, takes office.

In a further sign of trouble, 10 Republican senators-elect called in a letter for the ratification to be delayed until next year

The stalled ratification will show to the world that ultimately Obama does not speak as the controlling voice of America, No serious discussions on any national security issues, such as nuclear proliferation, trade, conflict resolution, etc...all for a large narcissistic plan by our messiah's, the "new" GOP.

They appear to be divided...completely make irrelevant the US's word for political gain.


There is a bright side (or rather, a slightly less dark side anyhow). The American people polled about this was 75% for ratification. This move by the republican senate (and the incoming congress) is wildly unpopular not just with the left and independent, but over half of the right also is immediately seeing through this.

Hopefully with just the fear of their own jobs at hand, they will do the right thing...of course they won't do the right thing out of desire to promote America...but maybe they will see wisdom and sense when their own constituents are ready to hang them for their transparent bull.....

You know...this struck me...

Failure to pass the deal would suggest that Obama is weakened politically after the mid-term polls cast doubt on his ability to pass major legislation and represent a personal humiliation in front of other world leaders.

I liked GWB about as much as a bee sting, but I always wanted the world as a whole to see our leader at least as strong...not constantly agreed with back home of course...but at least when he did the right thing, supported back home.

This is new...this is retarded...who wants the office of the president of the US to look weak and worthless in front of other world leaderrs...and call themself an american public servent...this seems almost akin to treason...the politicians whom are playing with the nuclear security of the world due to political snubbing need to really consider their position.


Also, I am sort of shocked that this is the first thread about this nonsense...its been going on for several days folks...just because your a conservative doesn't mean your not supposed to point out bullcrap in your own party..unless you agree that this is world security issue is a partisan standpoint. But, that puts you at odds with 75% of the country thinking

Actually...mods, can you move this to a more approprate forum...this is not really "off topic" as it is a very big and serious clear conspiracy...(however, is it a conspiracy if its right in the open...)

It was cute when they blocked a few of the provisions in the health care bill. It was cute when they wanted to overturn the freeze President Obama placed on the "back foreclosure" runaway train. It was cute when they wanted to continue useless campaigns in Iraq.

However, this is not funny. You do not, I repeat, DO NOT mess around with nuclear non proliferation deals just because you dislike a man.


This is sick, disgusting, and vile. Lets risk the future of the planet upon partisan hate. Idiots

reply to post by TheOneElectric


for a couple days now, I have started this thread and stopped it...had to walk away because of the sheer anger I found myself writing as it went off.

ultimately, this could destablize much of what was worked on...and with the fall of the USSR, the world is no longer a safe place. unaccounted nukes can be sold, and people could literally die. the start program is a start to reduce nukes, but more importantly, be transparent on what and where nukes are to begin with.

What is the terminology when a person, group, or movement uses the potential threat of mass death and destruction to the world in order to further a political movement...

we used to call such organizations terrorist organizations...is that what the GOP is wanting to be labelled?

This is no longer just a blue verses red issue...this is truely one party in the US attempting to destablize the world...and...its not even the mainstream belief in their own party...I think that republicans (the average joe repub) should be up in arms about the senators and congressmen presenting this while using their name.

its sickening.

reply to post by TheOneElectric


incidently...isn't it funny how, this thread was created...went through the entire cycle, and now dropped off into the ether and pretty much no response.

a clear conspiracy..potential destablization of the country and the world, a fringe group of political heretics trying to destroy world peace and cooperation...and not a peep.

meh...I should have said somewhere in the title that Obama is a gay socialist or something. Its only a worthy thread on ATS if it is an obama bashing thread.

I am wondering what will happen when later on I make the thread showing the polls are very against the tax ideal that the republicans are touting..35% only want tax breaks to stay...the rest want the rich cut removed, or all cuts removed...

that will probably be buried real quick round these parts.

Barrock o Bahma "and i seen satan like lightning ,fall from the high place"

Why do you believe that a stall in this treaty will result in a catastrophic fallout? So weapons won't be reduced, and transparency will remain a mirage. Tell me what else is new? Tell what gets changed even if the treaty pulls through? You think either nation will be fully compliant to the treaty? Do you think the world would be any safer when the US and Russia dismantle however many weapons to reach their targets, yet still hold enough weapons to obliterate the world 500 times over? This treaty is pointless in my opinion, just more political show. Tell me you are going to throw away every nuke except 1 for sentimentality's sake, and I'll say the world is a better place. But if you insist keeping anything over that, I laugh at any attempt at disarmament and any non-nuclear proliferation propaganda. Europe doesn't want nukes in its continent...right. ok. so why are there nuclear weapons still there? Russia and the US claim it is for balance, deterrence, etc...so does every other nation that has them. hmm. running in these circles all the time, someone is going to get dizzy and fall.

Originally posted by asperetty
Why do you believe that a stall in this treaty will result in a catastrophic fallout? So weapons won't be reduced, and transparency will remain a mirage. .

It minimizes the office of the president of the united states into little more than a symbol with no speaking power on the world stage. it means that there is no one person that can broker a deal in the US considering it is in a constant state of destablization due to overt partisan movements...why broker a deal (like Kyoto, or SMART) when the next administration, or hell, even the next congress will simply null it out.

sorry, you cannot minimize the impact this may and probably will have because your a cheerleader for the fringe...it is a disgusting and treasonous action.

This agreement and the related agreement to bring the Russians into the fold on the missile defense systems is a huge step forward to forging a new paradigm. The republicans play games with a future that could do more to increase our safety than any fascist search and seizure program. We need to clean the political slate around here. We have nothing but over paid, over powered, self righteous children running our country.

STOP TRADING MY FUTURE FOR YOUR EGOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Originally posted by Fiberx
This agreement and the related agreement to bring the Russians into the fold on the missile defense systems is a huge step forward to forging a new paradigm. The republicans play games with a future that could do more to increase our safety than any fascist search and seizure program. We need to clean the political slate around here. We have nothing but over paid, over powered, self righteous children running our country.

STOP TRADING MY FUTURE FOR YOUR EGOS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Agreed with all but one thing. as much as I would like to pin this on the entire republican party as a whole, (not a fan of em) its actually the fringe that is really railroading the people here. the problem is, we see how much power the right fringe holds now, and that is unnerving.

I think the Reps need to clean their own house...the latest coming from washington on the right is wildly opposed by most of the public...this is certainly not why they got elected...and this isn't even twisted into some pseduo-fear fact like health care was...people are seeing this at face value and absolutely opposing it. when 80% of the country says bad...you know your screwing up...and thats exactly what these fringe lunatics are doing...