WASHINGTON - Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, made the following comments after the State Department released the latest numbers for U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons under the New START Treaty:
“The Obama Administration hailed the New START Treaty as the ‘cornerstone’ of its efforts to ‘reset’ our relations with Russia. This latest development is further evidence of what this ‘reset’ actually is— a mistake and a failure. The numbers are clear: while we cut our U.S. nuclear forces, the Russians have built more. This is on top of Russia’s massive 10-to-1 advantage in tactical nuclear weapons, multiple violations of the INF Treaty, continued aggression in Syria and Ukraine, and its suspension of the Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement (PMDA). In its rush to the exits, the Obama Administration must not compound these failures by changing nuclear policy. Doing so would be a cause for concern among allies and celebration in the Kremlin.”