The United States and Russia have agreed to a new Strategic Arms Reductions Treaty that will slash the levels of each side’s deployed nuclear warheads by about one third to a ceiling of 1,550 and nearly halve the number of their delivery systems (ICBMs, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and nuclear-capable bombers) down to 800. President Obama on March 26 announced the new pact, calling it “the most comprehensive arms control agreement in nearly two decades.” He said the treaty includes “a strong and effective verification regime.” Further US officials say it places no constraints on US missile defenses and long-range conventional strike systems. Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev are scheduled to sign the treaty on April 8 in Prague, Czech Republic. Already 41 Senators have coupled Senate ratification of the pact with the Administration’s submittal of an articulate plan for modernizing the US nuclear deterrent. (Obama remarks) (New START fact sheet) (Press briefing)
“Military history shows that the best defense is almost always a maneuvering offense supported by solid logistics. This was true for mechanized land warfare, air combat, and naval operations since World War II. It will also be true as the world veers closer to military conflict in space,” writes Aidan…