US Senate set to ratify Russia nuclear treaty

President Barack Obama stood yesterday on the cusp of a signal of diplomatic victory as the US Senate prepared to ratify a landmark nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia.

The new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (Start) had enough Republican votes to pass the US Senate, with nine of Mr Obama’s adversaries publicly pledged to support the accord after a bitter public debate, according to an AFP tally.

That left Mr Obama, who has made the treaty a lynchpin of his efforts to “reset” relations with Russia, with enough support for ratification in a vote expected today after a procedural test ballot yesterday.

“The question is not if it passes, the question is when,” Corker, a treaty supporter who played a key role in addressing his party’s concerns about the pact, told reporters after several key Republicans swung to the “yes” column.

Lawmakers still planned to amend the treaty’s resolution of ratification technical document to recommit the United States to deploying a robust missile defence and ensuring upkeep of its nuclear arsenal.

The treaty “leaves our country with enough nuclear warheads to blow any attacker to kingdom come,” number-three Republican senator Lamar Alexander said in a speech declaring his support for the accord.

Unanimous, unqualified backing from top US military officials and the nation’s spy chief for the accord, as well as Mr Obama’s intense, personal lobbying effort powered what at times seemed liked a campaign doomed to fail.

“I will vote for the treaty because it allows for inspection of Russian warheads and because our military leaders say it does nothing to interfere with the development of a missile defence system,” Mr Alexander said.