Obama attempts to con Israel supporters to pass START

December 2, 2010 06:35


Threatening that the US will lose Russian help in pressuring Iran, Obama and future defense secretary Colin Powell lay it on thick for U.S. Jewish organizations.

And what good has Russian ‘help’ accomplished? Nothing! They still trade with Iran. They still sell weapons to Iran. Iran is still on the fast track to build its nuclear weapons. A recent story even has North Korea helping speed up the Iranian schedule to as early as 2011.

For this ‘help’ we are suppose to weaken our defenses?

The attempt to link START to the Iran nuclear buildup is a desperate ploy by Obama to push his deeply flawed treaty during the lame duck session because he knows it will not pass with the new senate in January.

CNSNews.com reports that the administration is pressuring pro-Israel senators to support START:

“Speaking alongside Powell in the Oval Office, Obama again linked the treaty with Russian cooperation on Iran, and said that “the relationships and trust that are built from the New START treaty spill over into a whole host of other national security issues that are of vital importance to America.”

The Iran linkage has featured strongly in the outreach to Jewish organizations.

In a letter released to Politico, Democratic Sens. Carl Levin (Mich.) and Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) this week urged the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) to come out in support of New START, calling the treaty “an opportunity to improve relations with Russia, a nation that has provided considerable support for U.S.-led efforts to pressure Iran.”

“As a leading voice in favor of crippling sanctions on the Iranian regime, AIPAC cannot afford to stand on the sidelines as the Senate debates the New START treaty,” they wrote.

AIPAC has maintained silence on the issue – a stance not surprising to Jewish community observers.”

The Russian ploy is a red herring.

The START treaty with Russia has too many flaws to be agreed to. It is one sided and diminishes our national security.

One of the main problems with the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) is that for the first time it gives in to the Russian idea that missile defense is linked to offensive weapons. This is a major concession to Russia that Obama has made effectively giving Russia veto power to our growing a defensive missile shield at a time when more nations such as Iran, china and North Korea are developing long range missiles.

The treaty also prohibits our converting  missile silos and missile launching submarines as launch platforms for defensive missiles.  This would take a potential defensive option off the table and require us to try to eliminate inbound missiles closer to home.

Most disturbing is language in the treaty that creates an unaccountable commission called the Bilateral Consultative Commission (BCC). This commission follows the Obama pattern of bypassing authority of congress and allowing unelected bureaucrats the power to actually change definitions and agreed statements in the treaty. In effect, this would mean that after the treaty is ratified its entire meaning could be changed without congressional approval. What utter nonsense.

At least the Republicans have offered a change that would prohibit a the U.S.-Russian panel established in the treaty from forging side agreements on missile defenses but is that enough? If the panel still has the authority to massage a few meanings or agreements in other areas without senate consent it becomes a discussion of what the meaning of is is.

The new treaty does not require Russia to make any substantive changes. Due to aging of its systems the Russians are already self limiting to the treaty numbers. The US will effectively be making unilateral reductions and get nothing in return.

The treaty also allows the Russians to maintain a ten to one advantage in tactical nuclear weapons.

The treaty treats multiple warhead bombers as one warhead. The Russians are developing a long range bomber program. As the US aging fleet of bombers is retired the Russians can exceed the 1,550 limits by deploying multiple warhead bombers. Rail  based systems are also excluded. By launching from rail platforms additional warheads would be totally exempt.

Call your senator and tell them to vote no 202-224-3121.

~ Michael Whipple, Editor usACTIONnews.com

P.S. – the Colin Powell being future defense secretary comment is just a guess. But Gates is leaving and Powell is sure front and center helping push this flawed treaty through the lame duck congress.



Help Make A Difference By Sharing These Articles On Facebook, Twitter And Elsewhere:

Interested In Further Reading? Click Here