The Nuclear Summit

[Sasaki Kojiro]

I don't think the question is really about uranium stockpiles. More like what more should have been done.

Didn't they sign a new treaty with Russia a few weeks back to reduce stockpiles of warheads by 1/3 though? That's decent.

[Lemur]

Didn't they sign a new treaty with Russia a few weeks back to reduce stockpiles of warheads by 1/3 though? That's decent.

Details here.

Casting aside years of rancor, President Obama and President Dmitry Medvedev of Russia signed the biggest nuclear arms pact in a generation yesterday, lacing the moment with new warnings of sanctions for an intransigent Iran. [...] The pact commits their nations to slash the number of strategic nuclear warheads by one-third and more than halve the number of missiles, submarines, and bombers carrying them.

That still leaves the two countries with enough nuclear firepower to ensure mutual destruction several times over, but the move sets a foundation for deeper reductions, which both sides are already pursuing.

And a plutonium disposal agreement, with details here.

"When this mechanism starts working we expect its positive influence on the process of nonproliferation," Lavrov told reporters.

He described the event as having "significant importance." Clinton said the total amount of material involved is enough for nearly 17,000 nuclear weapons.

Both diplomats said the agreement prevents any future military use of the plutonium.

I can't wait to hear from the usual rightists how this is all symptomatic of Obama's abject failure at diplomacy. No metrics, no examples, no reasoning, just blind assertions which, due to their evidence-free and fact-free nature, are impossible to refute or even discuss like an adult.