Recently, Ellen Tauscher, Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, spoke before the Global Zero summit in Paris on February 3, 2010.
As usual, she had some interesting things to say.
And President Obama set forth an ambitious agenda in his speech in Prague last year. The president has embraced the vision of John Kennedy and Ronald Reagan of calling for a world without nuclear weapons.
Those are not just abstract words for him. This issue animates the president, it’s not one of those issues that an aide had to tell him about. He has put his political capital and muscle behind that vision.
(snip)
Nuclear disarmament is not the Holy Grail. It’s only worth pursuing in so far as it increases our national security.
I believe that the journey on the road to zero is perhaps more important – than the goal itself.
It’s those concrete steps that we take that will enhance the national security of the United States and make the world a more stable place.
(snip)
We’re at the end game of negotiating a new arms reduction treaty with Russia. Nobody said this was going to be easy and as someone who has negotiated a few deals in my day, this is one that isn’t very contentious or complicated.
Both sides are working well together and if the measure of a good deal is that both sides are willing to do another deal, then we’re in good shape.
For a complete text, see http://www.state.gov/t/us/136425.htm
