McConnell Opposes START Treaty

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Sunday that he opposes the START treaty with Russia, rallying GOP troops before a decisive vote on the treaty expected this week. McConnell said the arms-control treaty's verification provisions are inadequate, and argued that even though all the top military leaders say otherwise, the treaty will prevent the U.S. from developing missile defense. But his biggest complaint is the same one Republican leaders used about President Obama's health-care bill last year: that Democrats are trying to force the issue. "Rushing it right before Christmas" is just a way of "trying to jam us," McConnell said. Shortly after McConnell announced his opposition, the Senate rejected a Republican attempt to alter the treaty’s language to address tactical nuclear weapons (as opposed to long-distance), keeping the original language intact as it moves to a ratification vote.