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Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Russia accused of violating Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty

2014-07-29

The Obama administration has stepped up tensions with Russia, accusing Moscow of conducting tests in breach of a 1987 nuclear missile treaty. The US has called the breach "a very serious matter",
Fine words. Do the words matter?
going public with allegations that have simmered for some time. The treaty confrontation comes at a highly strained time between Barack Obama and Russian president Vladimir Putin over Moscow's intervention in Ukraine and its grant of asylum to National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden.

An administration official said President Obama notified Mr Putin of the US determination in a letter. The finding will be included in a US State Department annual report on compliance with arms control treaties to be released today. The US says Russia tested a new ground-launched cruise missile, breaking the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty that President Ronald Reagan signed with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.

The official said the US was prepared to hold top-level discussions on the issue immediately "with the aim of assuring the United States that Russia will come back into compliance with its treaty obligations". Although the US has raised the issue with Russia in the past through diplomatic channels, it had not previously made the accusation publicly. Russian officials say they have looked into the allegations and consider the matter closed
Obama Administration grandstanding or legit complaint?

Posted by:OldSpook

#9 Time to put the TLAM-N's (nuke armed tomohawk missiles) back on our subs. That will make the sh!t their drawers.

Posted by: woggut 2014-07-29 12:39

#8 Not exactly shocking. Put yourself in Putin's place - the US has simply ceased to exist as a serious factor for Russia or other rivals. I guess the ragtag remnants of the former Libyan security forces were about the only ones who had anything to fear from US power. And a few Afghans dumb enough to lift a finger before our idiotically announced departure date - but that's just inertial continuation of an involvement none of these cretins in the Beltway today would have initiated on their own.

I remember working on the INF Treaty .... seems like 1 million years ago, when there was a US, adults were generally were in charge.

Posted by: Verlaine 2014-07-29 11:03

#7 Yet State values such bum wipe so much that they'll promote it and celebrate it, cause it justifies their existence. Institution self aggrandizement over national security. Then again, it's seems we've already surrendered our sovereignty, by the same ruling caste.

Posted by: Procopius2k 2014-07-29 09:48

Yet another convenient distraction. When have treaties signed by Russians been anything more than bum wipe?

Posted by: Besoeker 2014-07-29 09:16

#5 Just add to the list which includes treaties and protocols on chemical and biological weapons breached.

Posted by: Procopius2k 2014-07-29 08:47

#4 "The official said the US was prepared to hold top-level discussions on the issue immediately..."

The test in question was first revealed, albeit more of a murmur, this January past [LINK].

Why the big deal now? Bad contactors in the "reset" button : results interface?

Posted by: Uncle Phester 2014-07-29 08:18

#3 Speak loudly and carry a small twig.

That's the motto of this regime.

Posted by: AlanC 2014-07-29 08:11

#2 Send Jawn (we will appreciate it)

Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2014-07-29 06:05

#1 What, if anything is Obumble prepared to do to induce compliance? Toothless threats, or a twitter hashtag? Wrong actions can precipitate a potential nuclear conflict by being either too weak or too provocative. What's frightening that we have incompetents in charge, a lumbering lurching tool for a Sec State, and the president is narcissist amateur and poseur. The 3 AM phone call is going to voice mail because he's out of town on a fund raiser

Posted by: OldSpook 2014-07-29 05:04

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