The Heritage Foundation supports Mitt Romney on the new START treaty

In an op-ed yesterday, The Heritage Foundation backed Mitt Romney in his position against the new START Treaty. The Heritage Foundation points out,

Romney rightly observes that the treaty “deserves a careful, deliberative look by the men and women America has just elected.” If the Administration and Senate leadership push for a vote on New START during the lame duck session, the Senate would not have time to adequately evaluate it.

Romney had pointed out also that among other things, The treaty put limitations on our missile defense and the Heritage Foundation agrees.

Limits on U.S. missile defense options in the treaty are both specific and substantive. Most significant is the fact that the Preamble of the treaty establishes a link between strategic offensive and defensive arms. Also, Paragraph 3 of Article V prohibits conversion of offensive strategic missile launchers to launchers of defensive interceptors and vice versa. These conversions have been done in the past and might be required as an option for the President in case of a future crisis.

In addition, The verification provisions of the new treaty is less stringent than the original treaty and that the Russians have cheated on every arms control agreement the United States has ever signed with them.

In conclusion, The article states that the treaty is biased in favor of Russia.

With limitations on U.S. ballistic missile defense options, limitations on U.S. conventional global strike capability, and exclusion of tactical nuclear weapons in the treaty, there is no leverage left to achieve elimination of Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons. Russia will surely not willingly give up its unilateral advantage in exchange for getting to a “nuclear zero” fantasy when others (e.g., China, North Korea, and Iran) are sure not to follow.

The full article can be read HERE.