START

[Adios]

The Senate voted Wednesday to approve the new nuclear arms control treaty with Russia -- a major foreign policy victory for the Obama administration near the end of the lame-duck session of Congress.

The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New START, was cleared by a 71-26 vote. Several Republicans joined a unified Democratic caucus in support of the treaty.

Under Senate rules, the treaty required support from a two-thirds majority of voting senators for final approval.

The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New START, was cleared with the help of solid Democratic support, as well as the backing of several Republican senators.

If ratified, the treaty would resume inspections of each country's nuclear arsenal while limiting both the United States and Russia to 1,550 warheads and 700 launchers. It still needs to be approved by the Russian parliament.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/12/22/start/index.html?hpt=T1&iref=BN1

Still enough firepower to destroy the world, but a good thing.

Annnnnd the nutjobs opinion....


Not all Republicans were convinced, however.

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, argued on the Senate floor that the basic premise of the treaty -- that America's nuclear arsenal should be at parity with Russia's -- is flawed.

"Russia is a protector of none and a threat to many. America is a protector of many and a threat to none," DeMint said.

[LMNO]

"America is a protector of many and a threat to none," DeMint said.

:1fap:

[Adios]

"America is a protector of many and a threat to none," DeMint said.

:1fap:

I know, huh?

[Jasper]

Glad this passed, although I'm more or less at peace with the prospect of living in a world with a gun pointed at its head.  It would take further adjusting if that went away.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

I love the idea that somehow 1550 warheads is insufficient for American military purposes. You really just need one and some good timing to effectively decapitate a government.

[AFK]

Yes "a" government.  But we need to be able to Kill them All!

[Nephew Twiddleton]

Yes "a" government.  But we need to be able to Kill them All!

Ok, well, then 200 hundred should be more than sufficient and will even take care of such menacing threats as Vatican City and Tuvalu

[Cain]

I love the idea that somehow 1550 warheads is insufficient for American military purposes. You really just need one and some good timing to effectively decapitate a government.

MISSILE GAP!

Seriously though, you need at least a few more for the second-strike capacities of the enemy state.  Plus missile defenses, as pathetic as they are, do very occasionally get lucky.

Continuity of Government plans also mean that even if the central government is destroyed, elements of the military will likely be in a position to respond in kind.  You'd really need to destroy the entire military-industrial complex of a nation, its air force, special forces and it's secret subs in a single strike, if you want to be sure.

[AFK]

But, what about the NOrth Pole.  Santa is very clearly a Communist Terrorist.  He needs to be neutralized right proper!

[Nephew Twiddleton]

But, what about the NOrth Pole.  Santa is very clearly a Communist Terrorist.  He needs to be neutralized right proper!

Global warming is taking care of that bastard.

[AFK]

But what about his secret underground Lair? 

[Nephew Twiddleton]

I love the idea that somehow 1550 warheads is insufficient for American military purposes. You really just need one and some good timing to effectively decapitate a government.

MISSILE GAP!

Seriously though, you need at least a few more for the second-strike capacities of the enemy state.  Plus missile defenses, as pathetic as they are, do very occasionally get lucky.

Continuity of Government plans also mean that even if the central government is destroyed, elements of the military will likely be in a position to respond in kind.  You'd really need to destroy the entire military-industrial complex of a nation, its air force, special forces and it's secret subs in a single strike, if you want to be sure.

True, but considering that the rationale of having nukes is to prevent someone else from using them. They're basically big plutonium filled scarecrows.

[Nephew Twiddleton]

But what about his secret underground Lair? 

Some of those elves are working for us. I'll just leave it at that.

[Cain]

True, but considering that the rationale of having nukes is to prevent someone else from using them. They're basically big plutonium filled scarecrows.

That's one rationale.  However they're also used to win conventional wars (WWII, Pacific Theatre) and for status considerations, for blackmail....