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celticlord2112 -> RE: Hillary's speech:opinion's (8/27/2008 1:04:17 PM)
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quote:
Toward a Nuclear Free World: Obama will set a goal of a world without nuclear weapons, and pursue it. Obama will always maintain a strong deterrent as long as nuclear weapons exist. But he will take several steps down the long road toward eliminating nuclear weapons. He will stop the development of new nuclear weapons; work with Russia to take U.S. and Russian ballistic missiles off hair trigger alert; seek dramatic reductions in U.S. and Russian stockpiles of nuclear weapons and material; and set a goal to expand the U.S.-Russian ban on intermediate- range missiles so that the agreement is global.
Contrast that with McCain's bit on the same topic:
quote:
John McCain Will Work With Russia On Nuclear Security. John McCain is prepared to enter into a new arms control agreement with Russia to reduce nuclear weapons. He will work toward agreement with Russia on binding verification measures based on those currently in effect under the START Agreement. Working with our allies, John McCain will explore ways with Russia to reduce – and hopefully eliminate – deployments of tactical nuclear weapons in Europe. He will work with Russia to build confidence in our missile defense program, seriously consider Russia’s recent proposal to work together to globalize the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty and redouble our common efforts to reduce the risk that nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons may fall into the hands of terrorists or unfriendly governments.
John McCain Believes We Should Begin A Nuclear Dialogue With China. We should work to achieve the greatest possible transparency and cooperation on nuclear force structure and doctrine. We should work hard to bring China in to line with the practices of the other four nuclear weapon states recognized in the Non-Proliferation Treaty. We should also work to see China move toward a moratorium on the production of additional fissile material.
John McCain Will Also Address Nuclear Testing. As president, John McCain will continue America’s current moratorium on testing and begin a dialogue with our allies to identify ways we can move forward in limiting testing in a verifiable manner. This includes taking another look at the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty to see what can be done to overcome shortcomings that prevented it from entering into force.
John McCain Opposes The Development Of New Nuclear Weapons Unless Certain Specific Conditions Are Met. John McCain would only support the development of any new type of nuclear weapon that is essential for the viability of our deterrent, that results in making possible further decreases in the size of our nuclear arsenal, and furthers our global national security goals. John McCain will cancel all further work on the so-called Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator.
John McCain Will Work To Strengthen Existing International Treaties And Institutions To Combat Proliferation And Develop New Ones Where Necessary. The U.S. should move quickly to negotiate a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty and improve the ability to interdict the spread of nuclear weapons and material under the Proliferation Security Initiative. John McCain will increase funding for American nonproliferation efforts, including the Cooperative Threat Reduction programs established by the landmark Nunn-Lugar legislation.
Strengthen The Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT): As President, John McCain will work to strengthen and enhance the non-proliferation regime. We need to strengthen enforcement of the so-called “atoms for peace” bargain by insisting that countries that receive the benefits of peaceful nuclear cooperation must return or dismantle what they receive if they violate or withdraw from the NPT.
Increase IAEA Funding And Enhance The Intelligence Support It Receives: The UN Security Council should require that international transfers of sensitive nuclear technology be disclosed in advance, and further require that undisclosed transfers be deemed illicit and subject to interdiction. To enforce treaty obligations, IAEA member states must be willing to impose sanctions on nations that seek to withdraw from it.
John McCain Supports The U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Accord. This accord strengthens our relationship with the world's largest democracy and further involves India in the fight against proliferation. John McCain will actively engage both India and Pakistan to improve the security of their nuclear stockpiles and weapons materials.
To Prevent Countries From Using Civilian Nuclear Programs As A Cover For The Development Of Nuclear Weapons, John McCain Will Limit The Further Spread Of Enrichment And Reprocessing. John McCain supports international guarantees of nuclear fuel supply to countries that renounce enrichment and reprocessing. He also supports establishing international nuclear enrichment centers and an international repository for spent nuclear fuel.
Obama does not mention binding verifications vis-a-vis START
Obama does not mention that Russia has advanced a proposal on working to reduce intermediate-range weapons.
Obama does not mention how he will address China's nuclear arsenal (he does mention denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula in his China Fact Sheet, but that's it).
Obama does not mention the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
Obama does not mention the Proliferation Security Initiative nor Cooperative Threat Reduction.
Obama does not mention IAEA funding.
Obama does not mention the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Accord
Obama does not mention using guarantees of nuclear fuel as an incentive for countries to cease enrichment and reprocessing.
Are these good ideas? Sound ideas? Viable ideas? Frankly, I do not know.
What I do know is that McCain presents a plan while Obama presents a laundry list of goals. Worthy goals--in fact, mostly the same goals as McCain--but McCain goes the next step of stating the broad outline of how those goals can be achieved: on which diplomatic initiatives will he focus, on which treaties (existing or proposed) will he concentrate, in which areas will he provide additional funding. Obama gives none of that, and without those items, he does not have a plan.
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