"And I think it's gonna be a long, long time...."

Reading the daily headlines is a tentative adventure now days.  It has been for some time.  But with optimism I check the news to see how our fine country is doing.  How are we moving forward, together, as a nation?

I expect to see a little political diviseness, but along the lines of the usual suspects: Healthcare; Economic Stimulus; Anchor Babies.   So I was surprised to see the NYTimes headline today that the GOP was blocking efforts to ratify the New Start Treaty with the Russians.  What do the Republicans have against nuclear disarmament?  Didn't we all agree that this was a good idea like 20 years ago when communism collapsed?  Isn't this what Nixon, Reagan and Bush (senior), stalwarts of détente worked so hard for?  SALT, SALT II, Reykjavik????   How could these modern Republican repudiate such a legacy?

Seems that they don't feel there is enough time in the lame duck congress to get this ratified.   "This is complex stuff" they say.  You don't want to rush this.  The Russians don't have a problem rushing it.  They fear that once the Republican majority takes over, they won't want to place nice with the Russians.  Are we really at risk of going backwards here?

I remember the day I read that George Bush (junior) had pissed off the Russians.  It was one of those moments where I thought...."on top of everything else, you're going to upset the fragile balance we have with our old Cold War enemy??"  Like we need this??  I guess having grown up during the cold war, when a sneeze in Tripoli threatened all out Thermo-nuclear disaster, has left me a little scarred.  "Want -to-play-a game-?"

So I was relieved that relations with Russia has eased somewhat.  Those good vibes have allowed us to provide better logistical support for our troops in Afghanistan.  They have also allow us to apply a little more pressure on Iran and their dalliance with nuclear arms...I mean creating weapons grade plutonium for fuel ("1.21 Gigawatts!!!!").

Russian and the US were seriously considering the resumption of inspections (the whole Reagan, "Trust but Verify" thing).   Inspections lapsed last year for the first time since the Cold war ended.  Man...I miss the cold war.

But now that is in jeopardy: the republicans need more time.  Forget that the White House has fostered 29 meetings on the topic, and given the ranking Republican, Senator John Kyl...seriously?...that's his name?  (Ian Fleming couldn't make that up)....and even given Senator Kyl all the data he asked for.  Kyl announced on Tuesday, that there wasn't enough time with the lame duck congress.

The Republicans major concern seems to be shoring up our current Nuclear Weapons complex.  I mean before we put these guns down, we want to make sure they are the most sophisticated modernized guns possible.  Plus it puts a lot of Americans to work (one would hope) to modernize the Nukes, as it were.  So far the administration has responded with commitments of $84 billion over the next 10 years.  So they get it.

But Senator Kyl has thrown up a procedural vote to block ratification in this congress. I just cannot see where the Republican opposition is coming from.  I get that there isn't a lot of time left in the year.  But does that mean we all knock off early?  I'd like to say: "Well I've done all I can this year at my job,. not enough time left,  so I am going to sail for the next month while the year winds down."   Sounds great.  Not sure the people depending on me would share in that plan.

And I cannot imagine they are doing this to just make President Obama look bad.  That seems so juvenile.  Granted this is one of the president top foreign policy goals.  But that alone cannot be the motivator to frustrate a core treaty with the Russians.  Could it? 

Maybe the Russians are more of a threat than we think, and the Republicans want to fully review that when they come to power.  Or perhaps the complexities of our Nuclear Arsenal require more than $84 billion and the months of review extended so far.  I mean sure, when the Republicans were in charge of a lame duck congress they had time to impeach a philandering president.  But that was justified.  You cannot rush international peace...it has to percolate.

So in the meantime, the Kremlin might get a little worried.  Iran might get a little bolder.  And the world will have to consider whether 1, 550 strategic warheads should be deployed.