On the recordDecember 22, 2010
Senator Corker and I had a vote-- actually, Senator Corker, Senator McCain, and I had a vote on whose name should be first on this, and Senator Corker and I won, 2 to 1. Senator McCain's name is first because this is an amendment that attempts to deal in a unifying way with our concern that the Russians misunderstand the impact of this treaty or the impact of our development of missile defenses on this treaty and that it is important for us to speak out in unity, in a unified and clear voice, to the Russians, and no one has made that point more clearly as the treaty has been considered than Senator McCain. In fact, he offered an amendment earlier in our deliberations on the treaty which I supported, which did not pass, which would have removed the section of the preamble that has obviously been put in by the Russians in the negotiations which is confusing at best and downright mischievous at worst. This is the section that says: Recognizing the existence of the interrelationship between strategic offensive arms and strategic defensive arms, that this interrelationship will become more important as strategic nuclear arms are reduced, and that current strategic defensive arms do not undermine the viability and effectiveness of the strategic offensive arms of the Parties. That is the end of the quote from the preamble. It strikes me as I read it that it will be a topic of consideration in law schools and classes on international law.
