MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE – AT 9:01 A.M. ET:  President Obama wants to see his new nuclear treaty with Russia ratified, but one Republican senator is, thank goodness, standing in the way.  Senator John Kyl of Arizona, a stand-up guy on national defense, is demanding concessions from the Obamans before he gives his approval, which will heavily influence other Republicans.  This is what a good, alert senator does.  From WaPo:

As President Obama pushes for ratification of his signature nuclear treaty with Russia in coming days, all eyes are on one Republican.

Sen. Jon Kyl (Ariz.) has been his party's leading voice on the treaty and has pressed the administration to commit to a major modernization of the country's weapons labs in exchange for approval of the pact.

The administration sent a delegation that included Gen. Kevin Chilton, head of U.S. nuclear forces, to Arizona to woo Kyl on Friday, and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates will meet with Kyl this week to try to seal a deal, according to two officials.

Why does it take a GOP senator to demand modernization of our weapons labs?  Huh?  That should have been done already.  Americans would be shocked to know just how far behind we've fallen in modernizing our nuclear arsenal.

The high-octane lobbying - and the administration's offer to spend an extra $4 billion on the nuclear complex - reflect Obama's belief that the treaty is crucial to his nuclear agenda and the U.S.-Russia relationship. The effort has taken on even more urgency because Democrats will have fewer seats in the next Senate.

Well, at least we've got the four bil.  More is needed.  Obama has no emotional commitment to this improvement in our weapons program.  None.  It has to be pulled out of him.

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz) said Kyl was working with the administration on how to modernize the aging labs and to ensure the ratification resolution clarified that the treaty didn't inhibit U.S. missile defense.

"If those two issues are resolved - and I think they can be resolved - then I think we could move forward with the ratification to the START treaty," McCain said at a conference sponsored by the Foreign Policy Initiative, a think tank.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on ABC's "This Week" that if those two issues were addressed, "I would vote for the treaty."

And...

The administration has said the treaty doesn't limit U.S. missile defense, but some senators are worried by Russian statements suggesting otherwise.

Let's nail these things down before we start committing slow suicide.  Kyl is performing a superb service by blocking ratification of the treaty until he is satisified that it is in our interest. 

I don't see any similar concern from the Democratic side.  The Dems don't have any Henry Jacksons, of Washington state, anymore.  That state just reelected Patty Murray, who, I assure you, doesn't sit up nights worrying about the strength of our nuclear deterrent.

November 16, 2010