Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty:
WASHINGTON— A top U.S. arms control official says Washington is investing in and deploying new and updated weapons systems in response to Russia’s alleged violation of a key Cold War-era missile treaty and other activity.
The comments by Brian McKeon, principal deputy under secretary of defense for policy, came during a Congressional hearing focusing primarily on U.S. allegations that Russia has violated the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, known as the INF.
Russia has denied the accusation, and in turn says that Washington itself is in violation because of aspects of its European antimissile shield — a claim the United States rejects.
McKeon told the House of Representatives’ Armed Service Committee on December 1 that the new investments were “prudent planning” and said they included new unmanned drone systems, new long range cruise missiles, long range bombers, and an updated nuclear gravity bomb called the B61-21.
“Russia is not violating the INF treaty in isolation from its overall aggressive behavior,” he said.
“Stated another way, this is not just an arms control issue, but represents a broader challenge to transatlantic security,” McKeon said. “Accordingly, we are developing a comprehensive response to Russian military actions and are committing investments now that we will make irrespective of Russia’s returning to compliance with the INF treaty.”
The 1987 agreement, signed by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, eliminated an entire class of missiles: nearly 2,700 intermediate-range ballistic and cruise missiles, the majority of them Russian. It was the first treaty to outlaw an entire category of already-deployed weaponry and the first to allow for intrusive on-site inspections.
The deal did not concern sea- or air-launched intermediate-range missiles.
