The Open Skies Treaty Bites The Dust

Trump has once again done Putin’s bidding by withdrawing from the Open Skies Treaty, weakening U.S. ties with friends and allies, and retreating still more into his America First fortress.

By  Michael Krepon Author

This article was originally published in Forbes

When is nothing better than something? Certainly not when it comes to health care, personal income, housing and everything that serves our wellbeing. But not for those who believe that arms control is a snare and a delusion. For them, nothing is better than something. 

Donald Trump has now surpassed all of his predecessors combined when it comes to walking away from agreements to reduce nuclear dangers and weapons. His administration’s announcement that it will withdraw from the 1992 Open Skies Treaty marks the third agreement to be deep-sixed on his watch, after the Iran nuclear deal negotiated in the Obama administration and the Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty negotiated in the Reagan administration. Previously, Trump was tied with George W. Bush, who withdrew from two agreements — one with Russia and another with North Korea. Trump’s record of walking away from the accomplishments of his predecessors has not made American safer. As arms control unravels, nuclear dangers grow and U.S. alliance ties fray.

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