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Senator Richard Lugar, a Republican who supports the new START, said he doubts the treaty will be ratified this year. Although several of his fellow Republicans on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have serious concerns about START, the committee approved the treaty last month. The full Senate is slated to deliberate, but if the midterm election results in fewer Senate seats for Democrats, START will have a tougher time passing.

Lugar criticized Republicans who oppose the treaty. An excerpt from CQ Today:

“Lugar did not mince words when it came to his own party’s role in obstructing progress on the treaty, known as New START.

“Asked why he has had such trouble persuading his GOP colleagues to join him in supporting the accord, Lugar observed that since the end of the Cold War, there has been considerable opposition in the Republican party, sometimes Democrats, but very frequently Republicans, who took the position back then that you just can’t deal with the Russians.’

“Lugar added that in the current political climate, ‘there is also a feeling that this is something that is not a high priority for many members of the Republican Party.’

Lugar does not believe START restricts U.S. missile defense plans, nor does he believe the U.S. and Russia are in secret negotiations to restrict missile defense. Last week, six Republican senators sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton requesting that she turn over documents and transcripts related to secret missile defense talks. The State Department has denied such talks.

Lugar admitted that it’s “very hard to rebut secret negotiations…I would just say there aren’t any.”

If the talks are secret, how would the Senator know there aren’t any? I guess he takes it on faith, despite the Obama administration’s refusal to allow senators access to the START negotiating record.

(Source: The Hill and CQ Today)

Are the U.S. and Russia working on a secret missile defense agreement outside of the new START? That’s what six Republican senators want to know. Specifically, they want assurance that any missile defense agreement won’t limit development or deployment of U.S. or allied missile defense.

Citing various sources that such talks are taking place, the six requested that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton turn over documents and transcripts related to the talks. An excerpt from the Washington Times:

“The group of senators, led by Sen. Jeff Sessions, Alabama Republican, suggested in the letter 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.

“State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said in response to the letter that ‘we are not pursuing a missile defense agreement with Russia.’

“A classified U.S.-Russia joint assessment of ballistic missile ‘challenges’ should be completed by the end of the year that will ‘analyze the ballistic missile challenges of the 21st century,’ Mr. Crowley said, noting that it ‘will not affect our ballistic missile defense policy, which is a response to the evolving threat we see from the Middle East and Northeast Asia.’”

“‘The purpose of the joint assessment is to increase our mutual understanding of the ballistic missile threat,’ Mr. Crowley said. ‘There is nothing in these discussions that contemplates limits on missile defense, but rather cooperation between the U.S. and Russia.’”

The State Department officially denies that the U.S. and the former Soviet Union are on working on a missile defense agreement, but the senators aren’t convinced. As they deliberate on whether to ratify START, they’ve requested the negotiating transcript, which the administration so far has refused to provide. Their suspicion about secret missile defense talks is warranted.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said it is “technically feasible” to expand NATO’s theater missile defense system, which would protect thousands of deployed troops. (Source)

“Even at a time when budgets are tight – especially at a time when budgets are tight – that is the kind of investment that makes sense,” Rasmussen said. Linking up the national systems would cost about $239 million over 10 years.

In February, Defense Secretary Robert Gates spoke at the NATO Strategic Concept Seminar at the Atlantic Council. He said Europe had underfunded defense budgets for NATO, and consequently, undermined joint security. Land invasion is no longer a pressing threat. The danger of missile attacks is more critical and “more likely to come from outside NATO’s traditional borders; and more likely to require new approaches that incorporate far more than just military power.” (Source)

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also spoke at the seminar about Russia and NATO working together. Russia believes expanding NATO and extending its reach threaten its national security. Relations between NATO and Russia soured after NATO criticized the former Soviet Union for invading Georgia. Despite this, NATO seeks to work with Russia on missile defense.

In February, Romania announced its willingness to host U.S. SM-3 missile interceptors as part of President Barack Obama’s new missile defense plan. These missiles will be in place to defend against attacks from Iran, but once again, Russia believes their purpose is offensive.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the U.S. broke its promise to keep the Kremlin abreast of its missile defense developments in the region, and NATO representative Dmitri Rogozin asked, “How can we stay calm when alien military infrastructure, U.S. military infrastructure, has come to the Black Sea area?” (Source)

The missile interceptors will be deployed to Romania by 2015.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recently held a press conference with Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi to mark the 130th anniversary of diplomacy between Romania and the U.S. An excerpt of her remarks (emphasis added):

“The United States and Romania are also allies through NATO, and our shared commitment to the mutual defense of the alliance is unwavering. We are very pleased Romania has agreed to host elements of the phased adaptive approach to missile defense in Europe as we pursue this shared goal. This decision highlights the seriousness with which Romania approaches its role in NATO and its commitment to enhancing global security. Romanian troops have served their country with honor and distinction around the world, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan, and they are helping to move those countries toward a future of peace and stability. We mourn and grieve with the people of Romania over the losses that your nation has sustained, Mr. Minister, in this cause, but we thank you for your ongoing, stalwart commitment.”

U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton both spoke at the Atlantic Council this week to discuss factors that should be considered as NATO drafts a new “Strategic Concept,” which defines NATO’s purpose, nature, and security tasks.

Secretary Gates said Europe has underfunded defense budgets for NATO, and consequently, has undermined joint security. Specifically, he mentioned missile defense. Land invasion is no longer a pressing threat. The danger of missile attacks is more critical and “more likely to come from outside NATO’s traditional borders; and more likely to require new approaches that incorporate far more than just military power.” (Source)

On the president’s new missile defense policy: “Last year, the Obama administration announced a new plan for missile defense in Europe – a phased, adaptive approach that will give us real capabilities in a shorter period of time than the previous plan. We consider this a U.S.-funded contribution to NATO missile defense, which is critical to the collective-defense mission to protect our populations, territory, and forces.”

Iran is focusing on short- and medium-range missiles, but its long-range capability also poses a threat, whether the capability reaches fruition next year or five years from now. One of the top funding priorities is missile defense. The U.S. and our allies must prepare for long-range weapons, particularly from countries outside NATO that defy the U.N. Security Council.

In scaling back Bush-era missile defense policy, including reducing interceptors in Alaska and California, the Obama administration has left the U.S. vulnerable to long-range ballistic missiles and jeopardized systems like Ground-based Midcourse Defense. In assessing the missile threat, however, the administration seems to realize the need for more, not less, funding for these programs.

Secretary Gates acknowledged the importance of missile defense in his speech, but funding (or the lack thereof) reflects priority. We hope the administration restores missile defense funding and keeps all our options open. Read Gates’s full remarks.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke at the NATO Strategic Concept Seminar on Monday and urged Russia’s cooperation in preventing nuclear proliferation and other transnational threats. (Source)