How did the Treaty's defeat occur? Instead of recognizing that a treaty, requiring a two- thirds vote, cannot pass without extensive bipartisan support, Democrats last month offered a legislative taunt to Trent Lott, the majority leader, threatening to tie up the Senate if he did not force hearings on the matter. Lott then took up their challenge and beat them at their own partisan game. In short, he called their bluff! The Democrats then assumed that President Clinton would make a few phone calls and the opposition would melt. But no one from the Administration worked effectively with Lott a step most senators on both sides of the aisle contend would have given room for maneuver. Both sides must bear responsibility for the failure of this treaty.
Is this historically significant? Not since the Versailles Treaty was voted down in November 1919, and repeated in March 1920, has so far-reaching an accord been turned down. In the entire history of the Republic, only 20 treaties negotiated by American Presidents or other officials, have bene defeated, while 1523 have been ratified. The control of nuclear weapons has been a central goal of American foreign policy since the Eisenhower administration in 1958. All Presidents in the four decades since, have sought to limit testing and weapons development. It is historically significant!
Do the Democrats bear responsibility for the Treaty's defeat? Yes! Although Clinton submitted the Treaty in September 1997, it was not until this summer that the Democrats began their work in earnest to get the votes. The matter lay dormant until lawmakers returned in September 1999, with Democrats now determined to press the issue. Privately, Administration officials were furious with Senate Democrats for putting the treaty at risk by baiting the Republicans into calling a quick vote without adequate time to gauge the sentiment of the Senate. The Administration then put on a full-court press to win the treaty's ramification but it was too late.
Why did Lott do it? In 1997, at the request of President Clinton, Lott canceled a vote on a controversial treaty banning the production, storage and use of poison gas that was certain to be defeated. He then negotiated a set of conditions that made the treaty acceptable. But he took a great deal of heat from conservatives for this and he was unwilling to save Clinton again. So, he let the situation work itself out after the taunting by Senate Democrats.
Finally, is there anything wrong with the Treaty? Top former Administration officials oppose the treaty, among them are James R. Schlesinger, former Secretary of Defense, and Gen. Brent Scowcraft, a former national security adviser. Also Henry Kissinger opposes the Treaty. Also, there are major questions about treaty language and whether it would really bar all tests. Furthermore, there is some doubt from the CIA as to whether small tests could really be detected by the sensors called for in the treaty. Do not forget that there has been an epidemic of nuclear and missile proliferation during the last seven years. Finally, there was the question as to whether the American stockpile of weapons could be maintained with testing excluded. In short, there are serious objections that were never really discussed because the debate was so short and there were no hearings to promote public debate. This is one of the greatest tragedies of the poisonous atmosphere in Washington right now. Most Americans really do not know what this is all about. This is a very important treaty and there needs to be a national discussion about its content and its value. The way both parties handled this did not allow this to occur and that is the real tragedy. Poisonous partisan politics is harming the American republic!!!
