Political Quotes

“the Kerrey amendment is a sensible proposal that merits bipartisan support. The Joint Chiefs of Staff decided many years ago under the Bush administration that we could safely go below START I force levels. President Bush signed START II, and the Senate approved it in 1996. Now the Russian parliament has approved START II. That treaty cannot enter into force yet, due to differences over the ABM Treaty, but both the United States and Russia could usefully go below START I levels. The Joint Chiefs have consistently opposed the statutory ban on going below START I levels. As General Shelton said to Senator Levin in an answer for the record. The cold war is over. . . . The Service Chiefs and I feel it is time to consider options that will reduce our strategic forces to the levels recommended by the Nuclear Posture Review. The START I legislative restraints will need to be removed before we can pursue these options. The ban that the Kerry amendment would repeal is a hindrance to rational planning and resource allocation. It makes us maintain forces that are not needed, at the expense of more pressing needs. As General Shelton replied to Senator Levin: "Major costs will be incurred if we remain at START I levels." The Warner second-degree amendment would retain this ban for another year-and-a-half, for no good reason. It would prevent the President of the United States from implementing strategic force reductions that are supported by our military leaders.”