The 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty bars the United States and Russia from possessing, producing or test-flying a ground-launched cruise missile with a range of 300 miles to 3,400 miles. President Trump has said that he plans to withdraw the USA from the treaty.
Oh no! That, in a nutshell, is the response of the foreign policy "experts" questioned by the media on the subject. These "experts" are the American foreign policy establishment who have led us to where we were in 2016. For them, it is unthinkable to pull out of a nuclear arms treaty.
But here's the question: Russia has been violating this treaty for many years according to our intelligence agencies. The Russians have been asked repeatedly to clarify what they were doing and to demonstrate that they were not in violation of the treaty. The only response from the Russians has been silence. Given that we think they are in clear violation of the treaty, should we continue to comply with its terms, or should we just pull out?
The only logical answer is to pull out. After all, we have gone many years continuing the treaty while asking the Russians to explain their behavior. We got no response. There is no reason to believe that continuing the treaty now would suddenly get us a different response from the Russians. One thing is clear: Russian president Putin only respects and responds to strength. By pulling out of the treaty, President Trump gives Putin a choice. Putin can engage in a new and costly arms race with the USA which the Russians cannot hope to afford or to win, or Putin can curtail his cruise missile programs and once again comply with the treaty. Either way Putin loses.
I have listened to many of the "experts" lament the impending withdrawal from the treaty. They seem to recommend that the USA beg the Russians to start complying with the treaty. They don't want us to be seen as taking a step that could lead to an arms race. But they never explain why Russia would start complying after these many years of cheating.
Oh no! That, in a nutshell, is the response of the foreign policy "experts" questioned by the media on the subject. These "experts" are the American foreign policy establishment who have led us to where we were in 2016. For them, it is unthinkable to pull out of a nuclear arms treaty.
But here's the question: Russia has been violating this treaty for many years according to our intelligence agencies. The Russians have been asked repeatedly to clarify what they were doing and to demonstrate that they were not in violation of the treaty. The only response from the Russians has been silence. Given that we think they are in clear violation of the treaty, should we continue to comply with its terms, or should we just pull out?
The only logical answer is to pull out. After all, we have gone many years continuing the treaty while asking the Russians to explain their behavior. We got no response. There is no reason to believe that continuing the treaty now would suddenly get us a different response from the Russians. One thing is clear: Russian president Putin only respects and responds to strength. By pulling out of the treaty, President Trump gives Putin a choice. Putin can engage in a new and costly arms race with the USA which the Russians cannot hope to afford or to win, or Putin can curtail his cruise missile programs and once again comply with the treaty. Either way Putin loses.
I have listened to many of the "experts" lament the impending withdrawal from the treaty. They seem to recommend that the USA beg the Russians to start complying with the treaty. They don't want us to be seen as taking a step that could lead to an arms race. But they never explain why Russia would start complying after these many years of cheating.
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