By Chris Rizo

Staff Writer

WASHINGTON--The Bush Administration announced Thursday that the United States will withdraw from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Treaty, a move many Democrats fear may spur an arms race between the world’s nuclear powers.

President George W. Bush made the announcement Thursday after month-long talks fell through between U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Russia’s President Vladimir Putin over how the U.S. can test its missile defenses while maintaining the cornerstone agreement that has helped to ensure three decades of nuclear stability.

Calling the treaty one of the last vestiges of the Cold War era, Bush said preserving the accord could hinder the nation’s defenses in a time of rising world tensions.

“Defending the American people is my highest priority as commander-and-chief," Bush said. “I cannot and will not allow the United States to remain in a treaty that prevents us from developing effective defenses.”

House Foreign Relations Committee member Grace Napolitano, D-Montebello, fears that abrogating the 30-year-old agreement could prove insult to already unstable U.S.-China relations.

“Even though the protection of Americans is our paramount goal, there needs to have been adequate consultation with Congress before withdrawing us from a treaty of this significance,” said Napolitano spokesman Saul Japson.

Danielle Babineau of Peace Action said resuming missile defense testing could destabilize relations among the world’s nuclear powers.



“This is the first step on the path to a new world arms race,” said Babineau, who heads the Los Angeles-based pacifist organization.

However, Rep. Adam Schiff said while it’s unfortunate that the treaty could not be amended, he said the “dire predictions” that an international arms race may ensue are overstated.

“The major consequence of our unilateral withdraw is that it feeds the perception around the world that we are willing to go it alone, at a time when we are trying to build worldwide coalitions,” the Pasadena Democrat said.

Schiff added that he is doubtful that the move will aggravate Putin. As for destabilizing Asia: “China will do what it wants, with or without the ABM treaty,” he said.

The pact, negotiated between former U.S. President Richard Nixon and former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev 30 years ago, banned both nations from testing and deploying a ballistic missile defense system.

“The ABM is a treaty with a nation that no longer exists. The threat that was there, does not exist today,” said Rep. David Dreier, R-Covina.

“We are simply trying to ensure our protection in a world that has dramatically changed since the treaty was first signed.”

Abrogating the pact now allows the Defense Department the live-out the agreed six month non-testing buffer once the treaty breaks, leaving adequate time before the Pentagon plans to build five anti-missile silos at Fort Greely, Alaska next summer.

Chris Rizo can be reached at (916) 449-9006.