In the last-minute rush to secure Senate approval of the New START arms control treaty with Russia, the White House argued that Senate passage of the accord would secure Russian assistance in curtailing Iran’s nuclear weapons development program.

But despite the administration’s claim that the treaty would “create a stronger U.S.-Russia bond in a broader international effort to restrain Iran’s nuclear weapons program,” so far Iran isn’t showing any signs of restraint.

Opinion: New START’s Shaky Start
Feb 4, 2011 – 8:52 AM
by James Colbert

In the last-minute rush to secure Senate approval of the New START arms control treaty with Russia, the White House argued that Senate passage of the accord would secure Russian assistance in curtailing Iran’s nuclear weapons development program.

But despite the administration’s claim that the treaty would “create a stronger U.S.-Russia bond in a broader international effort to restrain Iran’s nuclear weapons program,” so far Iran isn’t showing any signs of restraint.

On Jan. 22 — exactly one month after the Senate approved the treaty — diplomatic efforts to restart talks on Iran’s nuclear program failed. Iranian officials refused to discuss the program unless representatives from the U.S., Russia, France, Britain, China and Germany agreed upfront to a list of conditions that included an immediate cessation of economic sanctions.

Click here to read the full op-ed

The post “New START’s Shaky Start,” op-ed by JINSA’s James Colbert in AOL News, Feb. 4, 2011 appeared first on JINSA.