Hi folks! The majority in the senate has spoken! And so, missile defense it is! May I thank members of the senate for so carefully spending my hard earned tax dollars on critical defense projects like this. The program is particularly helpful diplomatically with our new friends the Russians. They really like the idea of having a bunch of missiles parked next door and (supposedly) pointed at an ally of theirs.
I especially want to thank my Democratic senators who are currently running for the title of Great Leader to the Free World: President of the United States. Here are a few choice names: Senator Clinton (D-NY) YEA; Obama (D-IL) NV; Biden (D-DE) NV. I especially like the courageous abstentions of Obama and Biden. Clinton, at least lets us plebs know where she (and we) stands.
Oh! And may I take bit of extra time to thank my two senators, Kerry and Kennedy for their Yea votes! Gee… THANKS!
Nay votes: Feinstein (D-CA), Leahy (D-VT), Sanders (I-VT), Tester (D-MT), Webb (D-VA).
Complete voting list after the fold:
Akaka (D-HI), Yea
Alexander (R-TN), Yea
Allard (R-CO), Yea
Barrasso (R-WY), Yea
Baucus (D-MT), Yea
Bayh (D-IN), Yea
Bennett (R-UT), Yea
Biden (D-DE), Not Voting
Bingaman (D-NM), Yea
Bond (R-MO), Yea
Boxer (D-CA), Yea
Brown (D-OH), Yea
Brownback (R-KS), Yea
Bunning (R-KY), Yea
Burr (R-NC), Yea
Byrd (D-WV), Yea
Cantwell (D-WA), Yea
Cardin (D-MD), Yea
Carper (D-DE), Yea
Casey (D-PA), Yea
Chambliss (R-GA), Yea
Clinton (D-NY), Yea
Coburn (R-OK), Yea
Cochran (R-MS), Yea
Coleman (R-MN), Yea
Collins (R-ME), Yea
Conrad (D-ND), Yea
Corker (R-TN), Yea
Cornyn (R-TX), Yea
Craig (R-ID), Yea
Crapo (R-ID), Yea
DeMint (R-SC), Yea
Dodd (D-CT), Not Voting
Dole (R-NC), Yea
Domenici (R-NM), Yea
Dorgan (D-ND), Yea
Durbin (D-IL), Yea
Ensign (R-NV), Yea
Enzi (R-WY), Yea
Feingold (D-WI), Yea
Feinstein (D-CA), Nay
Graham (R-SC), Yea
Grassley (R-IA), Yea
Gregg (R-NH), Yea
Hagel (R-NE), Yea
Harkin (D-IA), Yea
Hatch (R-UT), Yea
Hutchison (R-TX), Yea
Inhofe (R-OK), Yea
Inouye (D-HI), Yea
Isakson (R-GA), Yea
Johnson (D-SD), Not Voting
Kennedy (D-MA), Yea
Kerry (D-MA), Yea
Klobuchar (D-MN), Yea
Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Kyl (R-AZ), Yea
Landrieu (D-LA), Yea
Lautenberg (D-NJ), Yea
Leahy (D-VT), Nay
Levin (D-MI), Yea
Lieberman (ID-CT), Yea
Lincoln (D-AR), Yea
Lott (R-MS), Yea
Lugar (R-IN), Yea
Martinez (R-FL), Yea
McCain (R-AZ), Yea
McCaskill (D-MO), Yea
McConnell (R-KY), Yea
Menendez (D-NJ), Yea
Mikulski (D-MD), Yea
Murkowski (R-AK), Yea
Murray (D-WA), Yea
Nelson (D-FL), Yea
Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Obama (D-IL), Not Voting
Pryor (D-AR), Yea
Reed (D-RI), Yea
Reid (D-NV), Yea
Roberts (R-KS), Yea
Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea
Salazar (D-CO), Yea
Sanders (I-VT), Nay
Schumer (D-NY), Yea
Sessions (R-AL), Yea
Shelby (R-AL), Yea
Smith (R-OR), Yea
Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Specter (R-PA), Yea
Stabenow (D-MI), Yea
Stevens (R-AK), Yea
Sununu (R-NH), Yea
Tester (D-MT), Nay
Thune (R-SD), Yea
Vitter (R-LA), Not Voting
Voinovich (R-OH), Yea
Warner (R-VA), Yea
Webb (D-VA), Nay
Whitehouse (D-RI), Yea
Wyden (D-OR), Yea
Also available in orange.
Might this be the immediate consequence of the vote:
Russia pulls out of key arms pact
And what next? Ratcheting up the arms race again. The vote was a bonanza for the military-industrial complex.
.
The BBC’s Europe editor, Mike Saunders, says that the US announcement of its plans for a missile defence shield within Europe was the last straw for Russia.
Mr Putin saw the plans as further unbalancing a treaty that already limits the conventional arms Russia can deploy on its own territory. The Kremlin maintains that the 1990 treaty is outdated and restricts its ability to move troops around its own territory.
Russia ratified the 1999 revised version, but Nato has not done so. (aCFE Treaty)
NATO is first demanding the withdrawal of Russian forces from two breakaway regions with Russia-speaking majorities – Abkhazia in Georgia and Trans-Dniester in Moldova.
[Perhaps the Kremlin shores up public support ahead of 2008 elections – Oui]
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence.".
[42] We reaffirm our commitment to the CFE Treaty as a cornerstone of European security and to the early entry into force of the Adapted Treaty, which would permit accession by new States Parties. The 3rd Review Conference underscored the vital importance we attach to the CFE Treaty and we are determined to maintain our constructive approach to conventional arms control. Fulfilment of the remaining Istanbul commitments on the Republic of Georgia and the Republic of Moldova will create the conditions for Allies and other States Parties to move forward on ratification of the Adapted CFE Treaty. We welcome the important agreement signed by Russia and Georgia on 31 March 2006 on the withdrawal of Russian forces, and the progress made since then. We note with regret the continued lack of progress on withdrawal of Russian military forces from the Republic of Moldova and we call upon Russia to resume and complete its withdrawal as soon as possible.
[43] We regret the persistence of regional conflicts in the South Caucasus and the Republic of Moldova. Our nations support the territorial integrity, independence, and sovereignty of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and the Republic of Moldova. We support continued efforts to achieve peaceful settlements to the conflicts involving these countries.
● Moscow Calls for Treaty Ratification
"But I will not let myself be reduced to silence."there has been little political price for the pro-military/industrial complex senators, to pay for spending our tax money on war and weapons of war.
The question is, how do we make them pay the highest political price for this?
And they said Joe Wilson went on a boondoggle.
Democrats again following the stupidity of Republican administrations since Reagan. Just not getting it. Nuclear weapons is a cold war deterent, nothing more. Now it is being revived as another form of Bush-Cheney isolationism: you’re either with us or against us, the Texas walk all over again.
Another dangerous win for the military-industrial complex.