To the Point
Has START Stalled?
President Obama wants the new START treaty ratified by the Senate during the lame-duck session. We hear about nuclear weapons, missile defense and Republican opposition. Also, WikiLeaks rips the lid off US diplomacy.
By Warren Olney • • 50m ListenPresident Obama calls the new START treaty with Russia a "national security imperative." Key Republicans say, "Not so fast." Will the President be pushed into promising the elimination of nuclear weapons, at the same time the US is building new ones? Also, WikiLeaks rips the lid off US diplomacy.
Banner image: President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev hold a bilateral meeting during the APEC Summit in Singapore, November 15, 2009. Official White House Photo: Pete Souza
In this episode
2 storiesWikiLeaks Rips the Lid off US Diplomacy
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the release of more than a quarter-million confidential documents endangers lives and threatens national security . Veterans say it betrays the trust that is the essence of diplomacy. We hear some of the myriad details and ask what it means for the future of international relations.
Read the story24 minHas START Stalled?
The START Treaty was negotiated by George W. Bush to allow the US to monitor Russia's missile development, but it expired last December. President Obama negotiated a "follow-on" called New START , to continue inspections and also reduce the number of missiles on both sides.
Read the story27 min
