Mark Warner: “I certainly cannot rely on a 1997 review as being up to date. Much has occurred in those 2 years, indeed over 2 years…”

“I certainly cannot rely on a 1997 review as being up to date. Much has occurred in those 2 years, indeed over 2 years, to where we are today. Let me give one example. The Russians are strapped financially. One of the principal motivations to go to a lower level, on behalf of the Russians, is they simply do not have the financial resources to maintain their existing arsenals--the readiness, the safety, all aspects of those existing arsenals. That is the 1997 assessment. I would not accept that. I would not think President Clinton would want to accept it. What I am telling the Senator is that I would like to reply in totality to the Senator's question by giving my statement and then we can perhaps continue this colloquy. Is that an option?”