Posted on 09/17/2003 6:40:41 AM PDT by bedolido
WASHINGTON - Senate Republicans defeated Tuesday an effort to block the Bush administration from making new battlefield mini-nuclear weapons and resuming underground nuclear tests.
The largely party-line vote, 53-41, killed a measure sponsored by Democratic Sens. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts and Dianne Feinstein of California. It was similar to legislation that the Republican-led House of Representatives endorsed in June despite White House objections.
The Bush administration worries that conventional warheads won't destroy deeply buried chemical, biological or nuclear arsenals. It wants to develop nuclear warheads that could destroy enemy bunkers and "mini-nukes" that could be used by U.S. troops on the battlefield.
The administration also wants to restart underground nuclear tests to make sure that the nation's nuclear arsenal is reliable. A testing moratorium has been in place since 1992.
Opponents of the administration's nuclear plans said the White House is trying to roll back 50 years of arms-control policy. They fear it will lead to Russia, North Korea, India, Pakistan and Iran to develop their own low-yield tactical nuclear weapons, which could wind up in terrorists' hands.
"We can't afford to let our own policy help ignite a new nuclear arms race," Kennedy said. "At the very time when we are urging other nations to halt their own nuclear weapons programs, the administration is rushing forward to develop our own new nuclear weapons."
"The Bush administration's do-as-I-say, not-as-I-do nuclear weapons proposals threaten to undermine global nonproliferation efforts and long-term U.S. security," said Daryl G. Kimball, the director of Arms Control Association, a Washington-based think tank.
Republicans countered that arms-control efforts only limit U.S. deterrence capability. "We have not been successful in deterring other nations by this unilateral embargo on our own testing and development. … The `axis of evil,' North Korea and Iran, has gone right ahead with their programs," said Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.
"We need to examine all the options that we have before we make any military decisions," said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Negotiators from the two chambers must next decide whether to keep the House prohibition on spending for development of low-yield nuclear weapons.
Nuclear "bunker busters" - officially known as Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrators - are in the research phase, according to Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M. His state hosts Sandia and Los Alamos nuclear laboratories, where the weapons are being developed.
Domenici is chairman of the Senate Energy Committee, which oversees funding for nuclear stockpile programs. He is expected to fight hard for the administration position during House-Senate negotiations.
Oh, yeah...??? Teddy boy...like we shouldn't give alcohol to alcoholics, but there are SOME of us who can drink a little and not kill. I can't wait until you are gone from the SENATE.....I, for one, will PARTEEEEE.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.