Military Leaders, Newspapers, And Republicans Criticize Kyl And Senate GOP

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Military Leaders, Newspapers, And Republicans Criticize Kyl And Senate GOP For START Obstruction
http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2010/11/22/kyl-criticized-start/

Following Senator Jon Kyl’s (R-AZ) announcement last week that he will delay and obstruct the New START treaty, many in the media presumed that START was all but dead. Yet the White House, knowing that it is now or never for the START treaty, doubled down and put its credibility on the line demanding a vote now. The move was risky, but in the last week, Democrats, the nation’s major newspapers, members of the military and even many Republicans have publicly denounced Kyl and Senate Republicans for their START objection.

The administration demonstrated the high level bipartisan backing for the treaty when it brought former National Security Advisors and Secretaries of State and Defense to the White House, including Republicans Henry Kissinger, George Schultz, James Baker, and Brent Scowcroft. On the Sunday shows this past weekend, Admiral Michael Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs emphasized that the military of the United States wants this treaty ratified right now. This has highlighted that Republicans are rejecting the advice of military leaders. At the NATO Summit in Lisbon last week leaders from East, Central, and Western Europe all came out in unanimous support for the treaty and called on the Senate to ratify. Finally, the President used his weekly address to emphasize the need to ratify the treaty and attacked Republicans for wanting “to trust but not verify.”

In the last week, 17 editorial boards in states from all over country like Utah, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, Maine, Texas and Iowa, have eviscerated Kyl and Senate Republicans for their obstruction. The Louisville Courier called Kyl’s move an “outrage.” Kyl was described as “narrow-minded,” politically “craven,” and as putting forth “lame excuses.” The New York Times even said Iran should send Kyl a “thank you note.”

The presumption over the last generation has been that when it comes to national security debate, progressives always lose. But following the foreign policy disaster of the Bush administration, the country simply doesn’t trust Republicans on national security. An ABC/Washington Post poll taken right before the election showed that Americans trust Democrats more on national security 45 percent to 40 percent for Republicans. Given that 73 percent of Americans support the New START treaty, according to a just released CNN poll, the stance of Kyl and Senate Republicans is proving incredibly unpopular.

Here is what 17 newspaper editorial boards around the country are saying:
http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2010/11/22/kyl-criticized-start/

[DCKit]

1. What's even funnier, they're so full of themselves, they thought it'd work.

An early Xmas present from the Republics, and a huge boost for President Obama.

[AlinPA]

2. It's dead. No way the republicans will allow this to be ratified. It would look like a foreign

policy positive for the President.

[AlinPA]

3. Are there any senate republicans not counting Lugar who are behind the Treaty?

[southern_belle]

4. good question, AlinPA

I wish I knew :shrug: