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The Senate Republicans displayed a new low of partisanship and isolationism by failing to ratify the new Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Showing all of the the foresight displayed by our nation on the eve of World War II and Adolph Hitler we have turned away from a needed and historic agreement that could easily make our world a better place, but instead Republican Senators have decided to put elementary bickering and partisan pridefullness ahead of the good of the people they represent and have in doing so made the world a more dangerous place.
Today's world is one of increasing dangers of nuclear proliferation and hostility. The implosion of Russia has created a deadly pool of plutonium, missiles and expertise that is available to the highest bidder. Primarily due to the Republican-controlled congress' desire for politically expedient moves at cutting costs, even small programs like the one championed by Senator's Sam Nunn and Richard Lugor have been cut or decreased furthering the danger of an attack. Rogue Nations like Libya, Iran and North Korea are all actively pursueing nuclear programs, as was (and possibly still is) Iraq. Terrorist groups like the one headed by Osam Bin Laden also pursue increasingly more devastating methods of attack and assault. Anyone who is aware of the news and the world around them knows of the attacks on the World Trade Centers, the US embassies and the Aum Shrinko cult in Japan. These already deranged killers will see the upcoming millenial year as further reason to carry out attacks and nuclear weapons will present themselves as increasingly attractive methods of destruction.
The "civilized" community is awash in nuclear instability as well. India and Pakistan,(who haven't signed the treaty) in direct violation of the CTBT, have tested nuclear weapons. The conflict over Kashmir this summer proved to be close to crossing the threshold to full-out warfare and only the honorable actions of the Pakistani prime minister prevented such an atrocity. However, he has since been deposed in a military coup that leaves the country in the hands of a despotic junta. Pakistan has said it will sign the CTBT if India does, and such an undertaking would require significant lobbying and efforts from a foreign nation. However, our unique position is disturbingly undermined by the lack of our own signing of the treaty.
Another significant area the CTBT will now fail to help our national security interests is in Russia itself. The START II treaty is currently languishing in the Duma, or Russian parlimient, and now faces almost certain defeat by our rejection of the CTBT.
The CTBT also will have other benefits for the future of our nation. The Energy department has concluded that 114 underground tests of nuclear weapons have leaked to the surface out of a little more than 700 total tests. The ratio and environmental damage is unacceptable. If we today accept this treaty we can prevent future presidents (re: Republicans) from carrying out nuclear tests in the future and threatening our lives with nuclear radiation and our children with cancer and birth defects.
The arguments against the CTBT's ratification are so weak as to fall flat on their face upon examination. They argue that the United States' hegemony will be decreased if we sign this treaty. This arguement is invalid based upon the following reasons:
1) The treaty will not take effect until every nuclear-capable nation signs it, so we won't lost he capacity to test weapons until everybody else does.
2) The treaty allows for examinations of nuclear facilities by international observers, providing transperency with which the United States will be able to observe and enforce the treaty.
3) Scientists can tell seismically whenever a nuclear weapon is detonated, as so we can tell if anyone violates the treaty.
4) President Clinton has already pledged to not detonate nuclear weapons in testing, so any loss of hegemony due to this inability should logically have already occured
The other arguements, that our ability to function as a nuclear power is ridiculous. The idea of nuclear deterrent is the very threat and risk of nuclear warfare, the mere presence of the nuclear weapons function to deter hostile nations. If it gets to the point where they must be used then they have failed their purpose and some very, very bad things are going to happen. Every nation already knows we no longer test nuclear weapons. Signing the treaty now will not give away any "secret" our military is hiding. On the contrary the military chief of staff and others top generals strongly support the CTBT for its benefits in Russia and in detering further tests by nuclear capable or nuclear possible nations like Israel.
In the end we are left with a frightening discourse and rationale of neo-isolationism and the darkest of political partasanship that defies comprehension. It is a sad day in American politics and in our world as a whole when the most select and powerful group of 100 people decide to put these most harmful of goals ahead of the good of the American, and indeed the world, individual