WTF? And this is what we get for dropping the ABM base in Europe?

Tentative Inspection Program Would Allow Russia to Visit U.S. Nuclear Sites

The plan would constitute the most intrusive weapons inspection program the U.S. has ever accepted.

Russia and the United States have tentatively agreed to a weapons inspection program that would allow Russians to visit nuclear sites in America to count missiles and warheads.

The plan, which Fox News has learned was agreed to in principle during negotiations, would constitute the most intrusive weapons inspection program the U.S. has ever accepted.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, said publicly Tuesday that the two nations have made "considerable" progress toward reaching agreement on a new strategic arms treaty.

The 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or START, expires in December and negotiators have been racing to reach agreement on a successor.

Clinton said the U.S. would be as transparent as possible.

"We want to ensure that every question that the Russian military or Russian government asks is answered," she said, calling missile defense "another area for deep cooperation between our countries."

On another critical issue, Lavrov declared that it would be counterproductive to threaten Iran with more sanctions over its nuclear program -- as he resisted efforts by Clinton to win agreement for tougher measures should Iran fail to prove its program is peaceful.

Clinton visited Moscow on her first trip since becoming America's top diplomat, in an effort to gauge Moscow's willingness to join the U.S. in imposing sanctions.

Clinton said the U.S. agreed it was important to pursue diplomacy with Iran.

"At the same time that we are very vigorously pursuing this track, we are aware that we might not be as successful as we need to be, so we have always looked at the potential of sanctions in the event we are not successful and cannot assure ourselves and others that Iran has decided not to pursue nuclear weapons," she said at a joint news conference.

Iran insists it has the right to a full domestic nuclear enrichment program and maintains it is only for peaceful purposes, such as energy production.

President Obama -- who visited Russia in July -- has vowed to "reset" U.S.-Russia relations. On Tuesday, Clinton apologized for missing that meeting because of a broken elbow.

"But now both my elbow and our relationships are reset and we're moving forward, which I greatly welcome," she said.

She was to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev later Tuesday.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/10/...ear-sites/

What? China's not invited?

I distinctly remember pictures of US inspectors in Russia monitoring the dismantling of Russian missiles, did that not happen in the States with Russian inspectors??

(10-14-2009 12:34 PM)Lord Stanley Wrote:  I distinctly remember pictures of US inspectors in Russia monitoring the dismantling of Russian missiles, did that not happen in the States with Russian inspectors??

The Intermediate Range Treaty we allowed the Russians to observe the destruction of the missile body, after the warheads and engines were taken off.

In this new proposal we are talking about taking the shrouds off of missiles and allowing the Russians to count the warheads and decoys on each missile.

On ballistic missile submarines and missile silos we used to open the launch doors and let the Russian recon birds flying overhead to "count" the missiles in the submarines and silos.

What is being proposed now is basically an arms control anal probe.

oops, Mods delete my thread on this with NY Times link please

(10-14-2009 12:32 PM)smn1256 Wrote:  What? China's not invited?

Chinese have about a dozen single warlead ICBM's that can hit the US, along with 15 submarine launched ballistic missiles on 1 missile sub. And published sources say we can hear the missile sub on passive sonar from 50 miles away, so its easy to track and hit if necessary.

We don't have any arms control treaties with the Chinese, and don't need them--- yet.