John Isaacs quoted in National Journal
Dec 20, 2011
By: Elaine Grossman
Originally published in the National Journal
The top four lawmakers on the House and Senate Armed Services committees met Thursday for a second day behind closed doors to hash out a compromise bill on fiscal 2012 defense authorization, a process expected to resolve months of disagreement over nuclear policy provisions.
Aiming to complete negotiations by early next week, the panel chairmen and ranking members had much more on their plate to discuss after each chamber took a stab at the Obama administration's $690 billion defense budget request. Other big issues in contention include Defense Department plans for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, the handling of combat detainees, and possible sanctions against the Central Bank of Iran for its alleged role in helping finance Tehran's nuclear efforts.
Some Pentagon and congressional officials, though, are watching the conference committee closely for an outcome on U.S. nuclear policy issues. This follows a House initiative in the spring to include so-called "New START Implementation" measures in its version of the defense bill, dubbed H.R. 1540.
Under the defense authorization legislation passed by the House, the administration could be restricted in its ability to reduce deployed or nondeployed nuclear weapons below levels set by the U.S.-Russian nuclear accord, unless required by another treaty or authorized by Congress.
New START: Passage Difficult, But Necessary
Sep 14, 2010
John Isaacs: Passage Difficult, But Necessary
http://security.nationaljournal.com/2010/09/is-new-start-a-nonstarter.php#1640286
September 13, 2010 10:05 AM
NationalJournal.com
John Isaacs, Executive Director, Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation
This week, Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry and Ranking Republican Richard Lugar are bringing the New START Treaty to a vote in committee. It is time to move to the treaty to the end game.
Senators like nothing better than avoiding a potentially difficult vote. A careful vote count indicates that 36 of 41 Republican Senators have yet to declare a position on the treaty. This situation is much better than that faced the health care bill, financial reform or the recently-proposed $50 million infrastructure program, where Republicans were overwhelmingly opposed from the beginning.
Kerry and Lugar are correct to move to a vote, and then work for a unanimous consent agreement for a floor vote. Most of the GOP Senators’ questions about the treaty relate to issues not within the four corners of the treaty: the pace of U.S. nuclear modernization and our commitment to missile defense, to name two. These are issues that can be dealt with through the resolution of ratification and White House negotiations with key Republicans. Even Arizona Senator Jon Kyl has called the treaty “benign.”
The treaty clearly enhances U.S. national security. It is overwhelmingly supported by our military leadership and past high ranking national security officials of both parties, including Republicans such as James Schlesinger, Henry Kissinger, George Shultz and Colin Powell. Only when the treaty enters into effect, the U.S. can resume onsite inspection of Russian nuclear weapons and facilities – suspended about 280 days ago.
When will the Senate floor vote be scheduled in the next few weeks or in a lame duck session? As usual, that depends on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell coming to a unanimous consent agreement. Difficult path ahead? Sure. But so many recognize the value of the treaty and the danger of defeating the it or letting it vegetate. Which is why former Defense Secretary Schlesinger said: “I think that it is obligatory for the United States to ratify [New START].”
Senate Hearing With Schlesinger Damaging for New START Critics
May 03, 2010
By Travis Sharp and John Isaacs – May 3, 2010
Dr. James Schlesinger—former CIA director, Nixon/Ford Secretary of Defense, and the nation’s first Secretary of Energy—possesses major cachet in the security policy community, particularly with Republicans. The venerably conservative Wall Street Journal anointedhim “Yoda, the master of the universe” for nuclear strategists. This prominence explains why Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee nominated him to lead the conservative wing of the U.S. Strategic Posture Commission, which released its final report last year.
On April 29, however, at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s introductory hearing on New START, Schlesinger authoritatively refuted arguments advanced by New START critics. Was Schlesinger effusive about the treaty? No. Did he raise potential concerns about it? Yes. But he also powerfully, if subtlety, rebutted several key criticisms of New START while firmly endorsing ratification.
Let’s take this issue by issue
Watch what Jon Kyl says . . .
Feb 25, 2010
While many people were rightly upset over a recent piece in The Cable by Josh Rogin entitled "No 'New START' in 2010, Hill sources predict," they may have overlooked some very important words by Arizona Senator John Kyl.
Kyl is the bête noire of those promoting a new nuclear reductions treaty and a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.
He has sent a series of missives along with many of his colleagues raising issues such as nuclear weapons modernization and missile defense. He has also delivered a number of speeches on the same topics.
As the British would say, he is constantly throwing a spanner into the works (i.e., monkey wrenches).