Obama, McCain Mix It Up on Nuclear Policy

Kissinger, Powell, Baker call on Senate for 'essential' vote

(NEWSER) - The New START treaty got some serious firepower behind it this morning, with the past five Republican secretaries of state writing a Washington Post op-ed in its support. "Although each of us had initial questions about New START," write Henry Kissinger, George Shultz, James Baker III, Lawrence Eagleburger and Colin Powell, "administration officials have provided reasonable answers" and concessions, resulting in "compelling reasons Republicans should support ratification" More»

Goes beyond Bush to limit nukes to 'primarily' deterring nuclear attack

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama will announce a new, stricter US nuclear weapons strategy today, declaring that “the fundamental role” of the US nuclear arsenal is to deter nuclear attacks. That’s a much narrower formulation than the US has ever had in the past—George W. Bush reserved the right to use the weapons “to deter a wide range of threats”—but arms control advocates had hoped he would go farther to declare prevention the weapons’ “sole role.” More»

(NEWSER) - Hillary Clinton minced no words on North Korea today, telling Meet the Press Pyongyang’s days of “acting out” are over, Politico reports. The secretary of State, whom the North called “a primary school girl” because of tough comments she made, said the North’s pursuit of nuclear weapons won’t be rewarded, and praised China for being “extremely positive and productive” in dealing with North Korea. More»

Colin Powell 'concerned' by Obama's spending

(NEWSER) - Joe Biden conceded today that the Obama administration “misread” how bad the economy actually was and that now the unemployment rate is “much too high,” The Hill reports. In an interview taped in Iraq with This Week, the vice president also said the US doesn’t intend to slow its withdrawal plans from Iraq even if violence surges after American forces leave. More»

Netanyahu: nuclear Iran could create Mideast 'tinderbox'

(NEWSER) - John McCain today called on President Obama to take a harder line against the Iranian regime, Politico reports. “This is a human rights issue—whether people can voice disagreement without being killed in the streets,” McCain told Face the Nation. “America’s position in the world is one of moral leadership. We have to be on the right side of history.” More»