Battle Brews on Missiles in Europe

Democrats and Republicans are conflicting on their view of President Obama’s missile defense plans. The debate over the missile defense policy is playing out as the Senate prepares to consider whether to ratify a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia.

Republicans are blasting the Obama administration’s plans to phase in a new missile defense system in Europe, saying it leaves a gap in the nation’s protective armor against Iranian missiles that could be deployable as soon as 2015.

Democrats and administration officials are firing back, saying that Obama’s new approach to missile defense is a more practical and effective improvement over Bush-era policies.

Senate Fight Ahead for START

United States Senate

After the release of the Nuclear Posture Review, the signing of the START treaty and the recent Nuclear Security Summit, many US senators still have questions regarding the plans the administration has with missile defense.  Many Republicans are weary that without these questions answered ratification of START may be difficult.

Of all President Barack Obama’s nuclear arms reduction initiatives — including his world without nuclear weapons and a test ban treaty — negotiating and ratifying an updated Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russia was seen as the easiest step.

But in a congressional session so poisonous that even a jobs bill was in doubt at a time of soaring unemployment, securing the two-thirds vote of the Senate necessary to ratify the treaty is no sure thing.