INF Treaty Issues
Back in 1987, the USSR and the USA signed the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. This treaty banned either nation from having or developing conventional and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 km.
While both signatories have periodically expressed displeasure with the treaty’s limitations, until 2011 each party generally seemed to be in compliance. However, in 2011 Russia (which accepted the treaty’s obligations on the inheriting the former-USSR’s nuclear arsenal after breakup of the USSR) apparently began violating the INF Treaty by conducting development associated with at least two weapons systems: the SS-25 and the SS-26.
The current Administration disclosed this violation to the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee in 2012. But they didn’t make any details regarding the violation public at the time. In fact, it also seems that the Administration “neglected” to brief NATO on the matter until either late 2013 or early 2014 – and only briefed NATO after the press reported the Russian violation in late 2013.
Seems to me that NATO would have a great interest in this issue, and would want to know the details. And you’d think we’d brief our NATO allies posthaste on something that important to their security, too. But I guess not.
In mid-2014, the current Administration finally accused Russia of violating the treaty. However, ever since they’ve apparently continued to refuse further public disclosure of details – including sitting on a report recently prepared by DoD analyzing the treaty breach. Per Rep. Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee, that DoD report is currently “tied up in the White House”. The Administration says it hasn’t released the report because it is “classified”.
Um . . . yeah. I’m thinking the delay and obfuscation here regarding discussing the matter – and releasing DoD’s report – is more because the report is politically embarrassing to the Administration. I’m guessing that report shows very clearly just how Russia thumbed its nose at the USA by a supine, spineless Administration regarding the INF treaty and got away with it. But I guess I could be wrong.
Regardless: if I were to place a bet, I’d bet we see these details about the time we see those on proposed the Iran nuclear deal. Both are just textbook examples of that “openness” promised us by the “most transparent Administration in history”.
Category: "Your Tax Dollars At Work", Foreign Policy, Military issues
Of course the administration doesn’t want to release the details. It would show how incompetent and impotent this administration really is and throw the whole Iran deal into doubt, since we can’t stop others from violating treaties we have with them.
Ya think?
Maaaaaaaybe
Oh, gee whiz, Hondo! You actually implied that ‘this administration’ (seriously? You used that word?) knows how to do the job it was hired to do. Come on! I think you’re expecting far too much of someone who is, always has been, and never will be anything except an incompetent, slacker, mouth-breathing ass.
I can’t even generate anger over Vlad’s nose-thumbing because it’s been going on since Day One. I know you guys don’t have much use for Jack Kennedy, but he at least made Nikita Krushchev blink. And he most likely would not get elected today.
Hey, is a Cuban missile standoff the same as a Mexican standoff?
In closing, Jimmee Cahtuh has liver cancer… and yet, he’s still alive.
Widespread metastatic cancer of as-yet undetermined origin, actually. While it was discovered during liver surgery (to remove a growth), the type of cancer hasn’t yet been determined. The liver is a common organ to which cancer metastasizes due to its role in blood filtration/detoxification.
Carter’s family has a strong history of pancreatic cancer. That would be my guess, but you never know. It could easily be some other cancer that spread undetected for a while.
I thought Carter was a “bottom 5″ POTUS and an abject failure; his administration’s policies are IMO largely to blame for today’s issues with radical Islam. I think he’s a weak-willed, deluded fool and a partisan hack even today. But he’s not on that short list of people to whom I’d wish a death from terminal cancer.
Can’t see ignoring Putin just because his weak-tit opponent gave away the farm – Putin is still a helluva danger. But my ‘surprise’ level is non-existent.
That being said… having seen a few, I wouldn’t wish death by cancer on anyone. Even Carter (whom I rank a little lower than Hondo -he’s easily a bottom 2 rank – by a WIDE margin.)
Shocking. Well, unless this is evidence of that promised flexibility thing made a few years ago.
Ya reckon the Germans will let us move back in???
Lets just pay them a billion dollars and ease economic sanctions to make the “comply” with the INF.
Too easy.
Vlad, Iran, the Norks, and everybody else have walked all over Obama from day one. No surprise here.