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While Russia needs to be held accountable, withdrawal from the #INFTreaty will have significant consequences for international security and geopolitics.
The full implications of taking this step at this time ought to be fully considered, including with Congress, beforehand.
The full implications of taking this step at this time ought to be fully considered, including with Congress, beforehand.
The #INF Treaty covers ground-launched, intermediate-range missiles.
With its large territory in the middle of Eurasian landmass, such missiles let #Russia range targets throughout #Europe, #MiddleEast and #Asia.
For example, here's the coverage of SS-20s Moscow deployed in 1986:
With its large territory in the middle of Eurasian landmass, such missiles let #Russia range targets throughout #Europe, #MiddleEast and #Asia.
For example, here's the coverage of SS-20s Moscow deployed in 1986:
Thus, the INF Treaty deprives Russia of a significant military capability, for which its size and location are strategic advantages.
The US, by contrast, has the world's most powerful navy and air force.
And the INF Treaty does not restrict sea-launched or air-launched missiles.
And the INF Treaty does not restrict sea-launched or air-launched missiles.
While the impetus for the negotiation of the INF Treaty was the deployment of missiles - and particularly ballistic missiles with short warning time - in Europe, its global zero formula also serves to protect Asian allies like Japan.
The INF Treaty also reinforces the New START Treaty's limits on inter-continental ballistic missiles. Because START's lower range limit (5500km) is INF's upper limit, there's little ambiguity at the threshold: a missile either counts toward START limits, or it's banned.
And absent the INF Treaty, Russia could assign intermediate-range missiles to cover some targets currently assigned to strategic-range missiles, increasing the number of strategic warheads available for other targets.
The international security environment today is different from that in 1987, in some ways that make the #INFTreaty more relevant. The treaty covers conventional as well as nuclear missiles.
Russia has used conventionally-armed cruise missiles in the ongoing conflict in Syria.
Russia has used conventionally-armed cruise missiles in the ongoing conflict in Syria.
