The Obama Administration notched up a new success with the START Treaty ratification by the US Senate. The text was the object of a very stormy debate within the Senate as some Republican senators vainly tried to slow down the adoption. The last obstacles were overcome after President Obama vigorously testified that the US anti-missile defense project in Europe will not be undermined by the new START Treaty. In addition, Democrats emphasized the need to urgently send American inspectors in Russia to reset verifications on the ground. They have been suspended since the expiration of the previous START Treaty in December 2009. Despite reluctances from some Republicans, the Treaty received a significant support from the US intelligence community, the US army and experts on nuclear security.

According to the new START Treaty, the United States and Russia will reduce their nuclear warheads and launchers to respectively 1500 and 700 units within the next seven years. Both countries maintain 95 percent of the world’s nuclear weapons. The Russian ratification which will follow soon should be less problematic. The difficulties in adopting this new START Treaty are however a bad omen for the future ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. This treaty is also a top priority for President Obama.