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US to cut nuclear arms
Paul Thompson in Miami4 Feb 2009
Barack Obama is expected to propose a radical cut in nuclear missiles and warheads as he seeks to overturn eight years of US opposition to arms treaties.
The president could convene the most ambitious arms reduction talks with Russia for a generation as he aims to slash each country's stockpile of nuclear weapons by 80 per cent.
Such a deal would cut each country's number of nuclear warheads to 1,000 each, it is reported.
Action could come before Mr Obama's first visit to Europe in April for a pact to replace the US-Soviet strategic arms reduction treaty, which expires at the end of this year. Much would depend on whether Mr Obama was ready to review US plans for a missile defence shield stationed in eastern Europe, a project bitterly opposed by Moscow.
Vice-president Joe Biden may provide a taste of US intentions at the Munich Security Conference next weekend. Mr Obama will set up a non-proliferation office to oversee the talks.
US analyst Strobe Talbott said: "The prospects for forward movement are reasonably good because we now have an administration in Washington which actually believes in arms control." The move was welcomed by UN nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei, who said :"I am greatly encouraged that President Obama has made a firm commitment to making the elimination of all nuclear weapons a central tenet of his policies."
Mr Obama yesterday admitted: "I screwed up" over the sudden withdrawal of his choice for health secretary. He said he was "angry" and "disappointed" with himself.
Tom Daschle, one of America's most respected Democratic politicians, withdrew his nomination after it was revealed that he had not paid taxes on a car and driver given to him by a donor. Nancy Killefer, who was to be "chief performance officer", also bowed out. She failed to pay tax on her household help.
Mr Obama told NBC that the loss of Mr Daschle and Ms Killefer was "something I have to take responsibility for". He said: "Tom Daschle could have led this health care effort better than just about anybody. But as he acknowledged, it was a mistake."
The cost of Mr Obama's economic recovery plan is now more than $900 billion after the Senate added money for medical research and tax breaks on buying cars. He told Congress that the final package should not include protectionist language that could trigger a trade war. He suggested that he would try to remove the clause encouraging people to "buy American".
Reader views (1)
GOD help us! We are headed toward socialism!
- Gerald Cook, U.S.A., 04/02/2009 23:27
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