Ratify the New START Treaty

I have to agree with Robert Kagan's take on GOP opposition to the new START treaty we negotiated with Russia. In his article, he points out while the GOP has some reasonable concerns over how the administration's "reset" has been conducted at the expense of our European allies, he also notes the proposed cuts are modest, and Republican Presidents in the past have always embraced sweeping cuts in nuclear arms. He additionally points out:

As to the treaty's virtues, there is little doubt that its negotiations improved the mood of relations between Moscow and Washington. This has had some payoff, both in Moscow's behavior and in the administration's. One suspects the administration has moved in a tougher direction on other issues partly because it has the treaty in hand. Successful cooperation with Russia on one front has allowed it to press Russia harder on others. The administration already seems to be trying to reset the "reset," paying greater attention to worried Europeans and protesting Russia's continued occupation of Georgia. Would defeat of the treaty help Russia's neighbors? I doubt it. Those who want to fix problems with the reset should focus more intently on those problems. New START is not one of them.

Senators have an obligation to block a treaty that they believe may damage the national interest. And Democrats certainly have no right to lecture Republicans about supporting the president, since many of them just voted against his funding request for Afghanistan.

But on this issue, Republicans can and should take the high ground and set a better standard. The treaty has its problems -- in verification, where the Russians seem never to be entirely trustworthy, as well as in counting mechanisms -- and so did the treaties negotiated by the two Bush administrations. But New START is not so badly flawed as to warrant rejection.

The Russians have been more cooperative with Iranian sanctions lately most likely because our relations have improved.  Pres Medvedev also wants more western investment to help modernize the Russian economy and is being somewhat pragmatic here in relations with the US.  There's a reason why this week after visiting the White House that he proceeded to Silicon Valley. There are plenty of policy issues for the GOP to oppose the Obama administration on; this isn't one of them.