| Top of the Agenda: Senate Vote Likely on New START Treaty The U.S. Senate has voted to end debate on a new arms control treaty with Russia (NYT), clearing the way for is expected to be final approval today. Eleven Republican senators and all Democratic senators supported the new treaty known as START in what would be a bipartisan victory for U.S. President Barack Obama following Republican resistance. Senate approval could clear the way for future talks with Russia and further arms reductions beyond the limits set by START, which requires both sides to reduce stockpiles so that neither deploys more than 1,550 strategic warheads. Obama pledged to focus additional talks (WSJ) on curbing thousands of smaller, tactical nuclear weapons, conventional forces and the countries' remaining strategic arsenal. Although those issues are likely to face stronger pushback from Russia and the United States, START's ratification could also lend new momentum to nuclear non-proliferation efforts (NPR) for countries like Iran and North Korea. Analysis: This CFR analysis brief examines the roots of continued partisan debate about the scope of the new START treaty. In this Brookings paper, Steven Pifer says future arms reductions talks with Russia will be more difficult to negotiate, since Russia relies on tactical nuclear weapons to balance conventional imbalances with NATO and China. In this recent Council Special Report, CFR's Micah Zenko argues for further scaling back of U.S. and Russian nuclear arms to bolster the international nonproliferation regime. Background: Read the text of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) signed in April. | 
