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| US-Russian Arms Negotiators "Under the Gun," Might Temporarily Bypass Senate Ratification for Tr |
| 2009-07-05 |
| Via Instpundit. It seems Honduras might not be the only nation the Armed Forces may to escort a president out of the country. With the clock running out on a new US-Russian arms treaty before the previous Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START, expires on December 5, a senior White House official said Sunday said that the difficulty of the task might mean temporarily bypassing the Senate’s constitutional role in ratifying treaties by enforcing certain aspects of a new deal on an executive levels and a “provisional basis” until the Senate ratifies the treaty. "The most ideal situation would be to finish it in time that it could be submitted to the Senate so that it can be ratified," said White House Coordinator for Weapons of Mass Destruction, Security and Arms Control Gary Samore. "If we're not able to do that, we'll have to look at arrangements to continue some of the inspection provisions, keep them enforced in a provisional basis, while the Senate considers the treaty." Samore said administration lawyers are exploring the "different options that are available. One option is that both sides could agree to continue the inspections by executive agreement; that would work on our side. On the Russian side, as I understand it, that would require Duma approval." The fact that the administration is preparing for such an extraordinary measure shows just how much pressure the two administrations are under to arrive at an agreement before the 18-year-old treaty expires. While resident Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev are expected to announce progress tomorrow on a nuclear arms reduction treaty – nicknamed “New START” -- to take effect in just five short months, many sticking points that remain unresolved. The 1991 START treaty's pending expiration means “we are under the gun to try to get something to replace it by the end of the year,” Michael McFaul, special assistant to the President and senior director for Russian and Eurasian Affairs, told reporters last week. "Never Let a Good Crisis Go To Waste." Even a phony baloney made up one. |
| Posted by:ed |
| #7 Political cover for the fact that he can't get Senate approval, even with a supermajority of his own party. |
| Posted by: Iblis 2009-07-05 23:59 |
| #6 Samore said administration lawyers are exploring the "different options How about contacting someone at Room SR-228, Russell Senae Office Building United States Senate Armed Services Committee. Maybe the've got an idea or two worth exploring. "Provisional" Cap & Trade also an option? |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-07-05 16:15 |
| #5 This isn't a issue. This sort of thing has happened in the past, and a President can agree, on an executive basis, to abide by certain terms with another country. If it's going to cost money he has to get an appropriation, of course. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2009-07-05 16:11 |
| #4 Adjunct Lecturer in Unconstitutional Law. Perhaps this would be a good question for our Wise Latina™ Sotomayor in her hearings: "Is the President an unconstitutional hack or just a tin-pot dictator? Discuss" |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-07-05 16:08 |
| #3 the difficulty of the task might mean temporarily bypassing the Senate's constitutional role in ratifying treaties by enforcing certain aspects of a new deal on an executive levels and a "provisional basis" until the Senate ratifies the treaty. Excuse me? |
| Posted by: john frum 2009-07-05 16:03 |
| #2 Then it can't be a treaty! Constitution 101 Obama. Didn't you need that for your law degree? |
| Posted by: 3dc 2009-07-05 15:32 |
| #1 Headline got cut off: US-Russian Arms Negotiators "Under the Gun," Might Temporarily Bypass Senate Ratification for Treaty Also: It seems Honduras might not be the only nation the Armed Forces may need to escort a president out of the country. |
| Posted by: ed 2009-07-05 15:27 |