The approval of the START Treaty by the senate is being heralded as great news for world peace. It is not. It does primarily three things, none of which enhances the chance of peace on earth:
- It limits, equalizes and reduces nuclear strategic warheads between Russia and the US, who hold by far the most capability in this area. However, it is really nothing more than a gesture since either nuclear superpower could destroy the earth with the weapons they retain.
- It does nothing to reduce/equalize tactical nuclear weapons; Russia has more than 10,000 of these, the US about 500. So it leaves the US with a clear nuclear disadvantage.
- It prohibits us from implementing missile defense systems. This reduces the safety of Americans. When you consider that North Korea now has, and Iraq boasts that they will soon have, the ability to launch nuclear ICBMs against America, it is very bad idea to disallow the ability to defend ourselves against nuclear attack.
There is always the hope that Russia will reject the treaty, but since it clearly swings the nuclear advantage to them, that is unlikely to happen.
While START may be a triumph for Obama and, it is a travesty for Americans.
