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Journalism of Courage
The new US-Russian arms agreement to cut their strategic nuclear arsenal from the earlier agreed figures of around 6,000 warheads each to a figure of 1700-2200 deployed warheads on either side by 2012 is a welcome step. The fact that this has come about in the shape of a bilateral agreement in spite of a vast range of differences between the two countries on strategic issues is all the more creditable. However, the current agreement marks a major departure from the previous such treaties. Unlike the earlier ones, the warheads to be reduced under the current agreement would not be destroyed but held in reserve as spares and for 8220;quality control8221; reasons. This only reaffirms the strategy embedded in the new Nuclear Posture Review of the United States which emphasises the salience of nuclear weapons in the future, rather than any move towards elimination of nuclear weapons.
Unlike the treaties of the Cold War, this agreement does not rely on its implementation on inspection and verification systems. Nor does it seek any mutually agreed composition and structure of the strategic offensive forces of either side. This demonstrates a new level of trust and willingness to move towards co-operative security. The two leaders sealed this process by agreements promising co-operation in energy development, economic co-operation and Middle East policy. They also signed an agreement for a 8220;new strategic relationship8221; which would lead to better co-operation on counter-terrorism. But the most significant promise of that strategic relationship is to find ways to co-operate on the development of missile defences.
