Todd Jacobson
NS&D Monitor
2/07/2014
Three senior House Republicans late this week urged President Obama to take action against Russia for violating the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. The New York Times reported Jan. 30 that acting Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security Rose Gottemoeller had met with NATO allies in January to provide info on alleged Russian tests of a new land-based cruise missile that violates the 1987 INF Treaty. The INF Treaty that was signed by the Soviet Union and the United States required each country to get rid of missiles with ranges of 300 and 4,000 miles, and the accord also prevents each country from testing or building such weapons. But the New York Times report suggests that the U.S. believes Russia has tested the weapon perhaps since 2008, and the revelation has created uncertainty about the future of U.S.-Russian arms control efforts.
Reps.: Put Arms Control, Reduction Plans on Hold
In a letter to the President, Reps. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.), Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) and Ed Royce (R-Calif.) urged Obama to “act on the compelling evidence pointing to Russia’s material breach and circumvention” of the INF treaty and suggested the Administration put a hold on any arms control plans with Russia and plans for future nuclear reductions until Russia comes into compliance with its treaty promises. “Defending this principle is especially important given the ongoing nuclear negotiations with Iran,” the lawmakers wrote. McKeon is the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, while Rogers chairs the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Royce chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Rumors have abounded for the last year of Russian cheating on an arms control treaty, but those rumors focused on the two-stage RS-26 missile. While the missile has been tested at intermediate ranges, it is capable of longer distances and is subject to the New START Treaty rather than the INF Treaty. The new-land-based cruise missile, however, is believed to be subject to the treaty and is at the heart of the U.S. concerns, though the Obama Administration has said little publicly about the allegations of Russian cheating. “The United States never hesitates to raise treaty compliance concerns with Russia, and this issue is no exception,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said last month, in the Administration’s only on-the-record statement on the subject. “There’s an ongoing review process, and we wouldn’t want to speculate or prejudge the outcome.”
McKeon, Rogers and Royce, however, urged the President to take a strong stance against Russia. “We believe it is imperative that Russian officials not be permitted to believe they stand to gain from a material breach of this or any other treaty,” the lawmakers wrote. “To fail to act would only invite further violations by Russia, which would inevitably undermine our national security and that of our NATO allies.”
Is the Whole World Watching?
The lawmakers suggested that other countries around the world will be closely watching the U.S. response to Russia. “As the United States and other world powers pursue nuclear negotiations with Iran, it is vital that Members of Congress have confidence that the Administration will forcefully confront all violations by Iran when they occur,” the lawmakers wrote. “In this regard, your Administration’s response to Russia’s actions has not been reassuring.”
The lawmakers also prodded Obama to move forward on modernization efforts for the weapons complex, nuclear arsenal and fleet of nuclear delivery vehicles, making good on promises made during debate on the New START Treaty. The lawmakers said Russia is “aggressively recapitalizing its nuclear forces” while U.S. forces have gone a generation without modernization. “In this respect, we believe that it is imperative that you recommit your Administration to undertake the comprehensive modernization of U.S. nuclear forces pledged in your 2010 Nuclear Posture Review and in your personal commitments during the ratification of the New START treaty,” the lawmakers wrote. “In practically every instance, these programs have been delayed, deferred, or cancelled altogether. In contrast with Russian advances, these updates to the U.S. arsenal can be made in complete compliance with our treaty obligations.”
