Neon Tommy- Let's Make a Nuclear Deal by Katherina Jawaharlal 4.5.10

Let's Make A Nuclear Deal

by Katherina Jawaharlal
Columnist

Creative Commons Licensed (Lucias Clay)

The US and Russia have come a long way since the Cold War. 

On April 8, 2010 the US and Russia will sign a new nuclear deal, a demonstration of mutual trust between two nuclear heavyweights. The signing in Prague will officiate the long-standing discussions that began in April 2009 for the first new nuclear treaty since the expiration of the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I) in December. 

President Obama and President Medvedev represent the world's largest nuclear arsenal, 95 percent of all nuclear weapons are held by the superpowers. The new treatywill limit operationally deployed nuclear warheads to 1,550 - down from current levels of 2,200 to 2,700. 

Following the 2002 Moscow Treaty, where both states agreed to cut strategic nuclear warheads to 1,700-2,200 by 2012, the US and Russia are about to banish all Cold War sentiments and set a precedence in actively disengaging their nuclear arsenal. 

Though lingering hesitation from Republicans in the US and conservative defense experts in Russia, the diplomacy implications are positive on both ends. For the US, Russia is a key player in Iran and an important source of support in Afghanistan. Improving relations and fostering mutual trust is a priority for President Obama.  A US-Russian nuclear treaty will bolster global unity in reining in 'rogue states,' including Iran and North Korea. Kudos to Obama for bolstering global support and building momentum for the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty security summit to be held in the US this May. 

The Kremlin's chips lie in their nuclear arsenal, keeping Russia a formidable global power despite the economic repercussions of the 1991 fall of the Soviet Union. While signing a new and improved START agreement is in Medvedev's best interest, there are those in his country, including Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who just can't seem to relinquish power and who are wary of dismantling Russia's weaponry.  

"America needs nuclear weapons less and less, because it is shifting its focus toward high-precision conventional weapons of both defensive and offensive types. Russia, on the other hand, depends increasingly upon its nuclear deterrent as the bedrock of our national security." said Alexander Konovalov, President of the independent Institute for Strategic Assessments in Moscow. 

However, Russia has much to gain in soft power by committing to decrease their formidable nuclear arsenal. 

Nuclear cooperation between Russia and the US has no doubt taken a turn for the better. By aligning themselves against the threat of a nuclear Iran and increasingly menacing North Korea, the two nuclear hegemonies are in a peculiar position of embracing nuclear diplomacy. 

Though a long way to go from complete dismantlement, the reduction in nuclear arsenal is a positive message to the non-nuclear holding state signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. While rumor has it that the delay in signing the treaty is due to differences between Obama and Medvedev, it's pretty good timing for Obama before theNuclear NPT Security Summit. 

Bolstering U.S. image abroad by decreasing nuclear arsenal has never been so timely.

http://blogs.uscannenberg.org/neontommy/2010/04/lets-make-a-nuclear-deal.html