We, the undersigned write to you to urge your support of the new START treaty as it is expected to be considered by the Senate in the next few weeks. We are participants in the Utah Citizens’ Counsel, a group of senior citizens who meet together to study, discuss, and act upon issues we believe are pertinent to Utah residents.
As you know, President Ronald Reagan, in 1982, proposed that the U.S. and the Soviet Union reduce their nuclear arsenals by thousands of warheads each. That proposal became the basis for the 1991 START I treaty. On April 8, 2010, Presidents Obama and Medvedev signed the new START treaty, agreeing to further reduce both sides’ arsenals and bring into force a new regime for inspections and verification.
While none of us purport to be foreign policy experts, we agree with former Secretaries of State Henry Kissinger and James Baker, as well as current Secretary of State Hillary Clinton plus America’s military leadership that the new START treaty will improve our national security. It will reduce the number of nuclear weapons held by the U.S. and Russia and improve relations with our former adversary. Perhaps more importantly, ratification will also show the international community that we are honoring our commitments on nonproliferation.
Utah residents have a special interest in reducing the dangers of nuclear weapons. While this agreement will still leave each country with a huge number of both deployed and stockpiled nuclear weapons, the ratification of this treaty is a much-needed step toward a safer world.
Please let us know that you will vote in favor of the new START.
Sincerely,
Robert Archuleta
Genevieve Atwood
(emeritus)
Aileen Clyde
Gale Dick
Irene Fisher
David R. Irvine
Boyer Jarvis
Chase Peterson
Grethe Peterson
J. Bonner Richie
Dee Rowland
Karl N. Snow Jr.
Emma Lou Thayne
Raymond Uno
(emeritus)
Olene Smith Walker