Another Nuclear Carrot for Russia Despite Its Troublesome Ties with Iran

James Phillips / May 17, 2010

Since hitting the “reset button” on Russian-American relations last year, the Obama Administration has signed a flawed START nuclear arms control treaty with Moscow, and last week submitted a controversial accord on Russian-American civilian nuclear cooperation to Congress for approval. The Russia 123 agreement, first submitted by the Bush Administration to Congress but pulled back after Russia’s 2008 invasion of Georgia, would come into force unless both houses of congress vote to disapprove it within 90 days.

Although congressional leaders from both parties had urged the administration to hold off from submitting the 123 agreement, administration officials have argued that moving ahead on it would encourage Moscow to be more supportive of sanctions against Iran at the United Nations Security Council. (more…)