Russia approves START

[Adios]

The Federation Council (upper house) unanimously approved the deal signed by US President Barack Obama and Russia's Dmitry Medvedev in April 2010.

Under the agreement, the number of nuclear warheads deployed by each country will be cut to 1,550.

The US Senate approved the treaty by 71 votes to 26 last year, after months of wrangling.

Wednesday's vote by the Federation Council comes a day after the treaty was ratified by the Duma, or lower house, and represents the final step in its passage through parliament.

The New Start (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty), will replace its predecessor, signed in 1991, which lapsed at the end of 2009.

The treaty will bring about a cut in warheads of about 30% from the previous limit and will also allow each side visually to inspect the other's nuclear capability, with the aim of verifying how many warheads each missile carries.

In addition, there will be legally binding limits on the number of warheads and missiles that can be deployed on land, on submarines, and on bombers, at any one time.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12284532

Many will argue that this doesn't go nearly far enough, but we must realize that many great successes have been attained through small steps. I, for one, am relieved to see this.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Likewise. Any reduction in nukes is a good thing. I'd be happier if each side just had 100 but, baby steps.

I also like how the upper house approved it unanimously where it took the Senate months to come to an agreement, and even then a fourth said no.

[Jenne]

There was a HILARIOUS moment on the Bill Maher show this last Friday when Rachel Maddow stood up in order to be heard on START and the idiocy that the GOP is still pushing about nuclear weaponry against that idiot gasbag Steve Moore (who fucking would NOT stfu about shit he's so CLEARLY ignorant on but instead just carries the party brochure).

http://www.hbo.com/real-time-with-bill-maher/index.html ~> in case you're interested in watching it

The thing is, certain right-wingers think ANY disarmament is a travesty, even though their hero, Reagan, started it.  SO fucking annoying.