By Greg Thielmann, Senior Fellow, Arms Control Association

The U.S. Senate will meet today in the historic Old Senate Chamber for a classified session on the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. While we do not know exactly what will be discussed or what will be said, open testimony and statements from senior U.S. military leaders and intelligence officials suggest that the following points—all of which argue for prompt ratification—will be discussed and reviewed.

Verification and Monitoring

by Daryl G. Kimball

Against the advice of the U.S. military and intelligence community who unanimously support prompt ratification of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, several Republican Senators have filed several misguided, treaty-killer amendments to the treaty itself, as well as some ill-conceived amendments to the resolution of advice and consent for ratification that should all be rejected.

By Daryl G. Kimball

In their zeal to push a treaty-killing amendment offered by Sen. John McCain to the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, several Republican Senators are twisting facts, ignoring history, and defying the advice of the U.S. military.

By Tom Z. Collina and Daryl G. Kimball

On Thursday, Dec. 16, Minority Whip Jon Kyl made 14 points on the Senate floor against ratification of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START). None of Sen. Kyl's concerns are new; all have been previously addressed by the administration and the Foreign Relations Committee's Sept. 16 bipartisan resolution of advice and consent.

Sen. Kyl's 14 points and ACA's rebuttals are below.

by Daryl G. Kimball

Earlier today, Senator Kyl (R-Ariz.) erroneously claimed on the floor of the Senate that New START's verification system is weaker than the system of the 1991 START treaty.

Such superficial comparisons miss the point and twist the facts. The 1991 START was negotiated in a different time and established different limits on strategic nuclear weapons, and its verification system was different from the more modern New START.

As three days of voting near their conclusion, exit polls indicate that two nominees are currently leading the field in the hotly contest Arms Control Person(s) of the Year competition.

Last year's winner, Senator Richard Lugar (R-Ind), nominated this year for:

By Farrah Zughni

As the Senate commences floor debate on New START this week, the features in the December edition of Arms Control Today invite readers to look ahead to even broader efforts in reducing nuclear arsenals globally.

By Tom Z. Collina and Daryl G. Kimball

A recognized global leader in both arms trade and export control, the United States has committed to seeking a robust international arms trade treaty. Washington is undertaking this effort in part to raise global norms for the trade in conventional weapons. At the same time, the administration is moving forward with a comprehensive review of its own export control system that may lower U.S. standards. It's difficult to advocate for states to raise their own practices while appearing to weaken one's own.

An Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) to Bring the World Up

By Daryl G. Kimball

Leaders of key organizations working to sustain momentum for approval of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty wrote the Senate Democratic leadership earlier this evening demanding that the Senate immediately turn its attention to the treaty.

This call is being backed up by a substantial, nationwide grassroots and Washington-based lobbying effort.