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Now it is clear that the official reset...
pressed for initially), the preamble only points to a connection between strategic offensive weapons and anti-missile systems. It states that the second contributes to an arms race in the first. It is this sufficiently philosophical statement that agitates the Republicans most and could seriously complicate the treaty"s approval in the Senate.Under the U.S. Constitution, the Senate gives consent to all U.S. international treaties by a two-thirds majority. Even with the current Democratic strength, Obama will have to win seven Republican Senators over to his side.
For Congress such "swings" between camps are not anything new or unexpected. They happen often enough. Only now the circumstances are ill-suited for compromises. Obama has just pushed through a health bill through Congress which had a mixed response in the country. In November, mid-term Congress elections will reelect the entire House of Representatives and one-third of the Senate.