Guest Dusty Lipschitz Posted December 13, 2001 Share Posted December 13, 2001 Bush notifies Russia of U.S. withdrawal from ABM treaty December 13, 2001 Posted: 1:54 PM EST (1854 GMT) Bush announces withdrawal from the ABM Treaty on Thursday at the White House. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush said Thursday that the United States has notified Russia that it intends to pull out of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, starting a six-month timetable for withdrawal and opening the way for the creation of an anti-missile defense system. "Today I am giving formal notice to Russia that the United States of America is withdrawing from this almost 30-year-old treaty," Bush said in the White House Rose Garden. "I have concluded the ABM treaty hinders our government's ability to develop ways to protect our people from future terrorist or rogue state missile attacks." The announcement came after months of talks in which U.S. officials hoped to persuade Russia to set the treaty aside and negotiate a new strategic agreement. But a breakthrough did not materialize, and Bush decided to go ahead with a unilateral withdrawal. Bush said he and Russian President Vladimir Putin "have also agreed that my decision to withdraw from the treaty will not in any way undermine our new relationship or Russian security." In response to the White House annoucement, Putin said both countries should move quickly to create a "new framework of our strategic relationship." But he called Bush's decision to abandon the treaty a "mistake." Yet Putin, who went on national television in Russia to address the nation, said the U.S. move "presents no threat to the security of the Russian Federation." The ABM pact, negotiated with the former Soviet Union during the Cold War, specifically forbids testing and deployment of a ballistic missile defense system. Bush believes such a system is critical for U.S. defense in the 21st century, and for months he has advocated scrapping the ABM treaty, calling it a relic from a much different time, a theme he repeated on Thursday. "The 1972 ABM treaty was signed by the United States and the Soviet Union at a much different time, in a vastly different world," he said. "One of the signatories, the Soviet Union, no longer exists and neither does the hostility that once led both our countries to keep thousands of nuclear weapons on hair-trigger alert, pointed at each other." Today, he said, both nations face different enemies. "Today, as the events of September 11 made all too clear, the greatest threats to both our countries come not from each other, or from other big powers in the world, but from terrorists who strike without warning or rogue states who seek weapons of mass destruction," Bush said. Some express concern at move Arms control advocates have argued against abrogating the ABM treaty, saying amendments to allow the tests should be negotiated with Moscow and the treaty left in place. Congressional Democrats greeted news that Bush planned to withdraw from the ABM with skepticism on Wednesday. Some called Bush's plan a misguided and poorly timed decision. "I think it undermines the fragile coalition that we have with our allies," said Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota, who was told of the decision in a breakfast meeting with Bush on Wednesday. "It causes real concern ... as we look at the implications for future commitments in our defense strategy and what it may mean in other contexts." Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph Biden, D-Delaware, admonished the White House on the Senate floor Wednesday, saying the move would cause an arms buildup not just in Russia but also in Pakistan and India, increasing tensions in southern Asia. Biden later called Bush's priorities "out of whack." He said America should be more worried about terrorists with weapons of mass destruction than countries with long-range ballistic missiles. "September 11 indicated our country is vulnerable," Biden said. "The thing we remain the least vulnerable to is an ICBM attack from another nation." The administration's position is just the opposite: The September 11 attacks demonstrate that if rogue nations that support terrorists develop long-range missiles, they would undoubtedly use them. Biden questioned the "urgency to pull out," saying the Pentagon has told Congress it could test the missile defense system without breaching the ABM treaty. "Is the announcement of our intent to withdraw from the ABM treaty a real action, or is it a White House Christmas present for the right wing who dislikes arms control under any circumstances," Biden asked. Daschle said although it is his understanding Bush has the authority to unilaterally pull out of the treaty, he is researching what "specific legal options Congress has" to stop it. He admitted such options may be limited. Doubts that missile defense would work Many Democrats believe pulling out of the ABM treaty unnecessarily antagonizes the Russians, because there is no indication a missile defense system would work. They say it is especially dangerous to withdraw from the pact at a time when the Russians and other nuclear-capable allies are key coalition members in the U.S. war against terrorism. Daschle said there are limits to what Congress can do legislatively, but it still has the "power of the purse," suggesting it can hold up funds for missile defense or other White House programs. "It is unfortunate that the Russians knew before the leaders did," Daschle said. "It's unfortunate that a matter of this import would not have been vetted more carefully or completely and with greater care for U.S. foreign policy than this was." Two top advisers to former Russian President Boris Yeltsin -- Sergei Karaganov and former Duma member Vyacheslav Nikonov -- told CNN Tuesday that U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell informed Russian President Vladimir Putin of Bush's intentions following meetings this week in Moscow. Nikonov said Russia's response might be to put multiple warheads on its newest generation of strategic missiles. Karaganov said the Russians believe the results of abandoning the ABM treaty "will be negative, but will be your responsibility." Both men said the decision could lead to a nuclear arms race in Asia. "It is bad for America. It is bad for the rest of the world. It is bad for Russia, but it's your decision," Nikonov said. U.S. seeks to quell concerns During stops this week in Berlin, London and Paris, Powell tried to quell European concerns about the consequences of scrapping the treaty, U.S. officials said. Thursday, Bush said the decision is one that will usher in a time of peace, saying he looks forward to visiting Moscow next year. He will work with Putin, he said, to develop a new strategic relationship between the U.S. and Russia that will "last long beyond our individual administrations, providing a foundation for peace for years to come." "The Cold War is long gone," he said. "Today we leave behind one of its last vestiges. But this is not a day for looking back. This is a day for looking forward with hope and anticipation of greater prosperity and peace for Russians, for Americans and for the entire world." what is scaring me is all the BULLSHIT that politicians are doing in the name of "national security" and what is necessary to fight the "war on terrorism". how the FUCK would/will this make any difference? either on 9-11 or in the future? its an excuse for a military hungry president to please military fucks/corporations/lobbyists. and if we pull out, whats to stop others from it? they probably think sht, the us is gonna pull out and they already have the largest most powerful military, we will and should to. god i fuckin hate this shit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boogie hands Posted December 13, 2001 Share Posted December 13, 2001 number one: if anyones going to launch a nucular assault on this country they will most likely from with in the country....ever hear of suitcase nukes number two: the fucking missile defense system doesnt even work....its been tested and it didnt defend a damn thing but the argument that it is worthless.... number three: our president has down syndrome and so do all the people that voted for him.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest beardo Posted December 13, 2001 Share Posted December 13, 2001 number four: boogie hands no list is complete.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTsystem Posted December 13, 2001 Share Posted December 13, 2001 Originally posted by boogie hands number three: our president has down syndrome and so do all the people that voted for him.... HAHAHAH...that's funny! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dusty Lipschitz Posted December 13, 2001 Share Posted December 13, 2001 more news in the "we're fucked now" department http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20011213/p..._privilege.html hi can you tell me why we're in a handbasket and where we are going? fuuuuuuuuck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest beardo Posted December 13, 2001 Share Posted December 13, 2001 haha jesus, theres plenty of room in this hole im hiding in if anyone wants to join me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnny rebel Posted December 13, 2001 Share Posted December 13, 2001 world war three were all gonna die Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T.T Boy Posted December 13, 2001 Share Posted December 13, 2001 they will fight world war four with sticks and stones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suburbian bum Posted December 14, 2001 Share Posted December 14, 2001 why is the us so stupid? grrr fuck this shit, im moving to Canada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smart Posted December 14, 2001 Share Posted December 14, 2001 Originally posted by boogie hands number two: the fucking missile defense system doesnt even work....its been tested and it didnt defend a damn thing but the argument that it is worthless... well, even though I laughed at the whole 'American ingenuity' thing when they first tried the anti-missle missle but the Patriots actually did a pretty decent job against the Scuds.. I still don't go for the missle defense shield concept though, it's like Reagan's SGI crap... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unregistered Posted December 14, 2001 Share Posted December 14, 2001 Thursday, Bush said the decision is one that will usher in a time of peace, saying he looks forward to visiting Moscow next year. I know if I pointed a gun at my neighbor his response would be far from "peaceful." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_SecretAgentX9 Posted December 14, 2001 Share Posted December 14, 2001 ummm, don't get me started on this topic... but definitely a dangerous topic to start on... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BROWNer Posted December 14, 2001 Share Posted December 14, 2001 the amount of deniro's proposed to get this shit up and running tight is ridiculous, there seem to be many better ways to spend the money.... you gotta love how bush lone-rocked this decision... bang bang. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 455 Posted December 14, 2001 Share Posted December 14, 2001 lovely...just lovely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boogie hands Posted December 14, 2001 Share Posted December 14, 2001 Originally posted by Smart well, even though I laughed at the whole 'American ingenuity' thing when they first tried the anti-missle missle but the Patriots actually did a pretty decent job against the Scuds.. i was refering to the tests that the goverment ran to test the proposed missle defense system, i believe last year.....the one that failed miserably.....republicans have to be the only people stupid enough to test something, watch the prototype fall on its ass and then pour a bunch of money into it to build it.....fucking disillusioned, spoiled wastes of space..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smart Posted December 14, 2001 Share Posted December 14, 2001 right on, yeah, I don't put much stock in the missle shield concept... if we're gonna spend all this cash I think we should spend the money on sattelites with laser beams.... then as the ICBM's reach the apogee9zenith?) of it's arc we can shoot it down... and the rest of the time we can blow up all of the space junk that we've got floating around up there... well, I dunno... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
23578 Posted December 15, 2001 Share Posted December 15, 2001 I'm kind of for this. I have to say it's a far better thing than sending more weapons to fuck ups like Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Egypt. Just wish there was something that would come into effect to prevent China from major a major build-up here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MR BOJANGLES Posted December 15, 2001 Share Posted December 15, 2001 im going back to my home planet, ive had enough of you humans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BROWNer Posted December 15, 2001 Share Posted December 15, 2001 Originally posted by 23578 I'm kind of for this. I have to say it's a far better thing than sending more weapons to fuck ups like Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Egypt. as far as i know, u.s. arms supply has increased over the last decade or whatever..to the saudi's anyhow... you make it sound like its an either-or thing....either the missile defence thing or we keep giving them weapons..... bush has such good timing... unrelated, i really like how he's blocked presidential papers too....from reagans administration....interesting isn't it.......daddy must've said and done some things.. didn't he block his own governor's papers too?.....whats the secret guy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
23578 Posted December 15, 2001 Share Posted December 15, 2001 As far as I know it's totally independant, I'm just expressing hope for the future. The government has some strange bed fellows that's for sure. These three being some of the worst in the Middle East, however all across the world we make enemies every day by saying one thing (freedom, democracy) and supporting terrorists groups and regimes of terror who are scared that that very thing may come about. It is wrong, and I don't want to spend three years in jail for something I believe this strongly in, but I will do what I have to. Disclaimer: I am in no way going to commit a terror attack against anyone, I was simply referring to the mandatory penalty for draft dodging in order to be able to visit my family freely and such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TEARZ Posted December 15, 2001 Share Posted December 15, 2001 don't get me started. homeboy all but repealed the freedom of information act. what the fuck. and has been slowly dismantling clinton environmental policy. you can now snowmobile in national parks again, and if you were thinking about developing some wetland, go ahead, get jiggy. it's your world and restrictions are a fraction of what they once were. ahhh fuck it. i'm not even gonna get myself wound up and continue this rant. i want to sleep tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smart Posted December 15, 2001 Share Posted December 15, 2001 Originally posted by TEARZ if you were thinking about developing some wetland, go ahead, get jiggy... not in Florida, it's brother against brother... that why I want Jeb as our next pres, 1st he was the REAL rebel in the Bush family, does anyone doubt that he smoked and coked it up in the 70's? His younger brother was just so stupid that he kept getting caught... and another thing, he DOESN'T WANT to be President... so... Bush in 2004, and not that Dumbass Dubya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smart Posted December 15, 2001 Share Posted December 15, 2001 well, I should say, failing a decent Libertarian candidate, and then a decent Democrat, and then a decent Nazi... then Jeb if he doesn't run Republican, but still... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
graf-freely! Posted December 15, 2001 Share Posted December 15, 2001 dude we probly have more nukes than any other country in the world.its still a stupid thing for bush to do though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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