Keating says US has kicked off new nuclear arms race

[Judi Lynn]

Keating says US has kicked off new nuclear arms race
29 July 2003

The United States had kicked off a new nuclear arms race with its unilateral response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating told New Zealand local body politicians yesterday.


Former US President Bill Clinton and former vice-president Al Gore would have handled the attacks "very differently" from the present administration under President George W Bush, which had jerked toward unilateralism and rejected co-operation and multilateral frameworks, he said.

His comments were reminiscent of those about the war in Iraq made by New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark.

Mr Keating said the US had walked away from the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the Ballistic Missile Treaty, and the Non Proliferation Treaty, signalling to other countries that they too could be part of a resumed nuclear arms race, he said. (snip/...)

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2582927a6160,00.html

[bif]

1. Looks like someone...

won't be invited to the Crawford Ranch anytime soon.

[FatbackSlim]

2. The ABM Treaty

The ABM treaty was a dead letter as soon as Bush got into office; he made it pretty clear during the 2000 campaign that he wanted out in order to pursue ballistic missile defense. At most, 9/11 just reinforced that decision, I'd say.

[GregW]

3. Keating is such a stud compared to Bush and Blair

Come to think of it, either of the two previous Aussie PMs (Keating/Hawke) would kick the boy and his poodle from here to Wagga Wagga.