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Obama up against Republicans’ resistance to nuclear arms control deal with Russia

But Republican resistance to approving the treaty highlights the limits of the administration’s sway after heavy losses by the Democrats in this month’s midterm elections…….

Obama fights to save nuclear arms deal, FT.com By Daniel Dombey   November 17 2010 20:21  The Obama administration has mounted a bid to salvage its set piece arms control deal with Russia and shore up its authority on the world stage.
On an early morning visit to the US Capitol to drum up votes among recalcitrant Republicans, Hillary Clinton, secretary of state, warned on Wednesday that failure to ratify the new Start treaty this year would put the country at risk from the “continuing threat” posed by Russian nuclear weapons. The treaty is at the heart of Barack Obama’s nuclear non-proliferation agenda and the president’s initiative to improve relations with Russia. Its collapse could also sap confidence in the president’s ability to conclude international agreements.

An administration offer of $4.1bn to modernise the US’s nuclear stockpile, in addition to an $80bn modernisation plan for the next decade, has failed to win sufficient support among Republicans. Officials do not exclude offering still more funds to the nuclear complex in an effort to get the treaty through.

But Republican resistance to approving the treaty highlights the limits of the administration’s sway after heavy losses by the Democrats in this month’s midterm elections………

FT.com / US / Politics & Foreign policy – Obama fights to save nuclear arms deal

November 18, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear costs, nuclear weapons