START Update
Though it expired last December, the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) has yet to be renewed. Russia and the U.S. say the renewal could be finalized by next month.
A Pentagon official recently told Business Week that both sides are making progress. “The differences have narrowed substantially over the last week or so,” principal deputy undersecretary of defense for policy James Miller said. “I think it is realistic to think now about concluding a treaty within the next several weeks. It does not mean that that’s going to be done.”
Miller testified before a House Armed Services subcommittee and said there were “a thousand catches” in START negotiations. The reason is obvious.
Russia is not happy with our missile defense plans to protect countries in Eastern and Central Europe against Iran, and wants access to our missile defense strategy. Based on these and other factors, the former Soviet Union and blames the U.S. for stalled negotiations. One of Russia’s sticking points to START renewal was linking defensive and offensive weapons. Both sides have agreed to the link.
Russia wants as many concessions as it can get. In fact, it’s not a stretch to believe Russia is holding back on supporting tougher sanctions against Iran until the U.S. drops plans to deploy missile shields anywhere in Eastern and Central Europe, despite our assurances that the shields are not a threat to Russia.
Under the old START, signed by Russia and the U.S. in 1991, both countries agreed to reduce nuclear warheads to 6,000 and delivery vehicles to 1,600. Eleven years later, the Moscow Treaty, a follow-up to START, required warhead reductions to between 1,700 and 2,200. Medvedev and Obama reportedly agreed to reduce deployed warheads to between 1,500 and 1,675.
Tags: Dmitry Medvedev, Russia, START