Abigail Stowe-Thurston // The wrong response to Russia’s INF Treaty violation - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

23.10.18

Abigail Stowe-Thurston // The wrong response to Russia’s INF Treaty violation - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: This year, lawmakers redoubled their efforts to pull the United States out of the treaty. The 2019 National Defense Authorization Act includes provisions that require the president to determine whether Russia is in violation of the treaty and whether the treaty prohibitions continue to apply to the United States. Alongside a recommendation for additional funding to support further research and development on an intermediate-range system, the bill states that Russia is in material breach of its treaty obligations and that the United States is legally entitled to unilaterally “suspend” the agreement. This legislation is not a blueprint for preserving the arms control pact while addressing Russia’s violation; it is an exit strategy.