Radiological Dispersal Devices: Select Issues in Consequence Management (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised Jan. 26, 2006 |
| Report Number |
RS21766 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Dana A. Shea, Resources, Science, and Industry Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
On May 24, 2002, President Bush and Russia's President Putin signed a new Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (known as the Treaty of Moscow) that will reduce strategic nuclear weapons to between 1,700 and 2,200 warheads by December 31, 2012. Russia entered the negotiations seeking a 'legally binding document' that would contain limits, definitions, counting rules and elimination rules that resembled those in the START Treaties. Russia also wanted the new Treaty to contain a statement noting U.S. missile defenses would not undermine the effectiveness of Russia's offensive forces. The United States preferred a less formal process in which the two nations would state their intentions to reduce their nuclear forces, possibly accompanied by a document outlining added monitoring and transparency measures. Furthermore, the United States had no intention of including restrictions on missile defenses in an agreement outlining reductions in strategic offensive nuclear weapons. This report covers the following topics: negotiations of the treaty, Russian objectives, U.S. objectives, reaching an agreement, the Treaty and its articles, U.S. and Russia's force structure, response and reaction, and the road ahead.
