The Hill News

As the Senate begins its debate on the New Strategic Arms Treaty (START), they need to ask themselves the question â€" do we want to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb that could someday be used to attack Israel or other U.S. allies? Because that is the situation Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and other Republicans could create by threatening to hold up Senate ratification of the New START.

The New START treaty is a major step forward by the United States and Russia in meeting their disarmament obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and will serve as a key bridge toward reaching the ultimate goal of a nuclear weapon-free world. By reducing the size of the nuclear arsenals held by weapons states like the U.S. and Russia, the treaty sends a strong signal to the world that those nations that currently have 90 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons are seriously committed to the goal of arms reductions.

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