Post-New START Prospects for Nuclear Disarmament Progress

The indefatigable Larry Wittner, national Peace Action board member, professor and author, has an essay on History News Network today with incisive analysis of the New START Senate vote, and on possible paths for further progress on nuclear disarmament. The Obama Administration has mentioned negotiating the elimination of tactical (short-range) nukes with Russia, further cuts in long-range strategic nukes and re-submitting the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty to the Senate for ratification as possible next steps.

One other possible avenue is executive action to reduce nuclear weapons dangers by the president, possibly combined with congressional legislation requiring only a simple majority in each House of Congress, rather than the difficult 2/3 Senate majority vote required for treaty ratification.  We should know within the next few months which paths we should pursue.