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The Pros And Cons Of The CTBT

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The CTBT was rejected purely by the Senate due to partisan politics, Republicans vs. Democrats, and not whether or not the treaty was good for the U.S. President Clinton became the first major world leader to sign the CTBT in September 1996; he later submitted the treaty to the Senate for its advice and consent. Senator Jesse Helms (R.-N.C.), warned the administration that the CTBT “is very low on the Committee’s list of priorities. The treaty has no chance of entering into force for a decade or more.” Nonetheless, the Democratic party urged for hearings and debates in the Senate in regards to the CTBT. Senator Byron Dorgan (D.-N.D.), refused to let this treaty go without a vote and demanded Majority Leader Trent Lott (R.-M.S.) to “bring this …show more content…

I feel that it was a mistake for the Senate to reject the CTBT because it would have been beneficial for the U.S. national interest if it were to pass. For years following the Cold War, there was a worldwide scare of another nuclear war that could significantly damage the world this time. For this reason, it is important for the superpowers of the world to have control on the world’s nuclear weapons and their responsibility of who would be capable of using them. “The CTBT was the next step in American efforts to frustrate the proliferation of nuclear weapons, and many other nations were delaying their decisions on ratification until after the United States acted.” By enacting a treaty such as the CTBT, there would be no worry for nuclear unrest as it would become illegal for nations around the world to operate such weapons of mass destructions. Furthermore, it would essentially “cut off any new avenues of nuclear weapons development.” It would be in the United States national interest, both domestically and internationally, to prevent other nations in the world from using or developing nuclear weapons following the Cold War. Domestically, “polls indicated that 70 percent to 80 percent of Americans across the country favored the ban” and would not want to enter another nuclear war with another nation. Internationally, not having to worry about nuclear weapons as a threat from other nations, the U.S. can focus on other foreign policy affairs with less allied countries. For these reasons, I believe that it was a mistake for the Senate to reject the CTBT because it would have been favorable for the U.S. national

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