After standing at the podium silently for a few moments, he added with a grin, "If I'm really going to resist the temptation, I better resist the temptation

Good idea... there's more than enough hoof & mouth disease going around amongst the party of pale male & stale!

Oh and Mikey Steele, also too, you betcha!

So first Kyl says that we have to wait on START until the tax deal gets done, that he really has no issues with it other than that it doesn't 'need' to get done during the lame duck session now he's out to just plain kill the treaty.

Take this boy into the cloak room and beat him silly.

What a loser! No good excuses, just any and every excuse. These are the people to whom we are entrusting our government.

A Republican Senator that declined the temptation to speak... I'm speechless myself!

Good thing the goalposts have wheels under them, otherwise Conservatives would have sore backs from digging them up to move them.

Kyl "will work very hard" to ensure that the treaty is not ratified.

He should have a lot of energy after 2 years of doing absolutely NOTHING! along with the rest of his repub buddies.

I agree any bill should have the appropriate period of debate but when an overwhelmingly amount of people, both Dem and Repub, both in and out of the political world think START is good and needed for our security, how much debate should it need? On the surface this seems to be another stall tactic by the GOP.

Kyl...McCain...Brewer....

Who's big idea was it to let Arizona become a state?????

I agree if other Republicans are in line with the bill, then pass it, but if anyone tries to add earmarks, then I say no.

I do agree that most bills, unless it has overwhelming support from both sides, should not be passed in a lame duck session. It is just another ploy for one party who has super majority to quickly pass crap before they lose that majority.

Why such a quick move to pass all this legislation in a month when you had all year to do your job (don't give the argument that the Republican's have been saying 'No' as the people in power now have had the votes)?

You do realize that Kyl is one that insisted on his earmarks on this bill. Now he has them. Now he continues to stall. Hold this azz accountable!

wait. you mean a republican is going to say no to something yet again? shocking!

Cannot agree with you more. These treaties were started under the "beloved Ronald Reagan". Every American should write to their elected officials and demand that they vote on this issue. Can you imagine how the rest of the world must be viewing us - a country that has a political party coming to power that has one agenda - to defeat this President. Kyl and his friends need to "grow up". If they don't, then they should all just go home. And, if they don't do the right thing, then Americans should demand that they be removed from office. What a disgrace these people are. This is not a democratic or republican issue - this is an American security issue. Why can't these stupid republicans see that?

Hey Mad As Hell,

The greater good must be subjective because I imagine a greater good without the likes of foul-mouthed good-for-nothing bully posts like your own. Suck on an egg.

Maggie, I didn't know this joker had earmark stakes in the bill. So if this (insert nasty label here) has earmarks attached to the START treaty and is now holding back, we can be sure he's looking to stuff the deal with more pork and B-S. He should just step back; the earmarks should be stripped, and let reasonable, responsible adults vote on passing the treaty.

Sounds like he's angling for more perks. Somebody needs to show him the door.

This guy is just another reason for term limits. If the Stupid States will not vote them out they would just be removed. Kyl and Mac what a pair.

Kyl is a fool, a hypocrit. If this treaty had a GOP president's endorsement, it would have passed 8 months ago. The GOP has been holding this hostage just as they have everything else for one reason only: defeat President Obama. Broken Senate, broken country.

The Republicans obstructionism against anything Obama, must be obvious to anyone with moderate intelligence.

This is a national security issue, whose ramifications spread beyond Russia. Every American should be outraged by this petulanat and childish behavior.

All across the world, people are watching how our government works. At the moment, they are mystified and discouraged that a country like America, which touts democracy as the best form of government, are also laughing at the inadequacy and ineptness of our voting citizens.

I have just about given up on Americans. They are ill-informed and believe cable news, which has been proven to be a farce.

The fact that the Republicans all voted against health care for the 9/11 responders received little attention in the main stream media. Yet the Republicans will pull 9/11 out of their mouths in a moment if it were to help their agenda. Yet they ignore them when their health is in jepardy.

Anyone who thinks the Republicans are on the side of working American is a total fool. And once you find you are no longer middle-class, but are poor, will you ever admit your mistakes in voting these crazies into office?

Kyl is a hypocrite and worse, but he's no fool.

Kyl is demanding an additional $4 billion in unnecessary military spending in trade for his support. He won't play unless dems agree to adding another $4 billion to the national debt to finance missle updates that are not needed at this time for national security.

3 ex-Presidents, 3 ex-Secretaries of State have said this needs to be passed now.

Keep digging your hole Kyl.

Kyl can not help himself, he is owned by the Military Industrial Complex. The U.S. has had enough nuclear war heads to blow up the world many times over since the 1960's. They say they need more time to read the treaty, it has been passed in the house for 10 months, but the gop was busy saying no to everything. Extend the Bush era tax cuts to try to fix the Bush era economic collaspe.

The START treaty is good for Russia and bad for us.

Kyl is a true politician. He will do whatever it takes now to paint this treaty in a bad light to ensure that, if he manages to make it fail, his supports will believe that it is a good thing that we no longer can monitor Russia's disarming, that we no longer are on the road to there being fewer nukes in the world. He will convince his followers that Russia is the bad guy, and we should live in fear of them.

He is probably one of those people who cling to the belief that we could WIN a nuclear war with Russia. Nevermind the massive amount of fallout that would encirlce the planet.

Thanks Kyl. Really, thanks a lot. Politics is just so damned important, isn't it...

Steve please explain what is good for them and bad for us.

Who, other than Terrorists (and the Party of No), works hard to undermine Peace in the World?

Never give the Pentagon something they ask for like SALT. Give them pork barrel weapons systems they don't want.

Jimmy,

What is positive about a senator not moving on a treaty that would keep us all safer from a nuclear threat? Stick to the fake and biased news show for your ego my friend. I have lots of positive things to say about good people who work hard for this country. Like Richard Holbrooke. You, Jimmy, are not one of those people. You just use up valuable air.

Jimmy,

An embarrassment is that gentleman from Arizona, that being paid by the US taxpayer to do a job, all he does is to try to gain notoriety to position himself among the ranks of the NO party. And you expect people to say something positive about him? Sorry, this is not the FIX News page...

Jon Kyl not only refuses to do his own job, he actively obstructs others from doing theirs. Try that in your workplace and see what happens. He's not an embarrassment, he's a downright disgrace. Worse than that, he sacrifices the nation and everyone in it for the sake of his own riches and political power.

truthseeker 244

Kyl is a traitor

Kyl also has an enormously, large, empty, head.

Republicans such as Sen. Kyl are intentionally compromising the United States of America's national security.

Kyl should be arrested and tried for treason just as many of his peers should be for all the treason the GOP has intentionally committed over the past decade.

GendoIkari: While their at it. Rush, Beck,Palin,Bauchman and Deport Rupert.

WW: Amen Brother (er..or Sister)!

The GOP are STILL trying to use those Commies ( uh...ooops...uh...Russians) as the Bogey Man to energize their base and stir the pot.

START assures mutual verification and raises the comfort level between two former Cold War enemies.

As I said last week, we should be making common cause with the Russians and Europe. The Chinese are becoming the new super power in this world. They are the new giant both economically and technologically. Add to that a virtually bottom-less barrel of humanity to draw on and you've got one great big threat to the future of the west.

START insures that we can work with the Russians confident in the knowledge that we have verification of their compliance with the treaty.

NUCLEAR WAR! That is Sooooooo 20th Century. We've got enough missiles, enough defense systems, etc. etc.

But none of that is going to mean a thing. The next war will be fought and won in Cyberspace before any ground troops or weapons systems are deployed. And at the rate they are going the Chinese are going to win that war before we have a chance to use all our missiles, etc. to defend ourselves.

Remember e.e.cummings? The world doesn't end with a bang, but a whimper.

We'll be the ones whimpering our surrender when the Chinese are able to hack our computer systems shut down our power grid and take control of our weapons systems. ALL COMPUTER DEPENDENT!

Somebody wake up Senator Kyl and the GOP and tell them it's the 21st Century.

Kyl's demanding an additional $4 billion in unnecessary upgrades as ransom for supporting start. While out the other side of his mouth he rants against earmarks and out of control spending.

Right. To ensure that our nuclear bombs are better nuclear bombs, despite the fact that we can not use them in our current conflicts, and it would take a huge, massive shift in our relationship with Russia before we would ever go to war with them. It's pure, unabashed pork fat. Ladeled on thick, and very unhealthy. However, quite the taste treat...

He already got his pork! And still he stalls!!!

The new START Treaty is hung up in the Senate by the Republican’s unofficial Treaty expert John Kyl (R-AZ). Why? After 12 hearings this treaty was approved 14-4 by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and all of Kyl’s concerns were addressed by the Obama Administration. Republican Richard Lugar (R-IN) the GOP’s top nuclear arsenal expert urges ratification. So why is Kyl holding this treaty up? Sarah Palin. Seriously. Half-term sent a letter to newly elected Republican senators condemning “hasty consideration” of the START Treaty. OK she can see Russia from her Mamma Grizzly Den, but when she is making foreign relations commentary and the GOP’s #2 leader in the senate kowtows to her, we have entered the Twilight Zone. FYI: the two previous strategic arms reduction treaties passed 95-0 and 93-6 respectively.

There is nothing wrong with it when it is a true and sincere request and not just more attempts to stagnate and obstruct.

What they don't tell you is if it doesn't get ratified by years end all of this years work on it goes to waste. This treaty has been debated in committee hearings and the like and have passed all those hurdles. It is just the spin masters want to keep the populace ignorant of the truth.

If the Repukes block this I just hope the next nuclear attack happens with a Repuke in office since they will have caused all of this. Oops I forgot the typical right wing double standard hypocrisy if a disaster happens on their watch it brings the country together and if it happens on a Dems watch its all their fault.

So please to anyone reading this blocking this is no more than political grandstanding by the repukes

the health care bill was in progress for more than a year.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35986022/ns/politics-capitol_hill/

take your BS talking points somewhere else

Thank you Dig and Wolfman for answering my question in a nice informative why.

As for cleek, well you know what you can do.

go ahead, tell me

In the preamble of the treaty, defensive weapons are equated with offensive weapons.

The Obama administration contends that the preamble means nothing.

The Russians beg to differ.

Since both are signatories, this kind of difference of opinion would render the treaty moot, should Obama continue with our defensive weapons programs. How many people think he would do that, if it meant that the treaty would become obsolete?

Good. I think he would abandon our defenses, too, based on maintaining the goodwill of the Russians. Of course, we do not have much good will coming at us from the North Koreans and the Iranians, now, do we?

The language of the preamble MUST be changed by amendment. Period. We keep and expand our missile defenses, or no treaty. Period.

Those of you defending it as is come in two flavors: those who supported Carter's SALT II treaty, and warned that the Soviet Union would annihilate us if we did not capitulate to their demands, ( Reagan kind of disproved that, did he not?), and those who are too young to know about it, and too lazy to learn.

Either way, you are wrong about ratifying the treaty as it stands.

Because it has never been done with the previous arms treaties with Russia. Every living former Sec. of State has endorsed the treaty as it stands now.

Republicans have more than proven lately that they are nearly all traitors against the United States of America.

no joe,

With an issue this important, that should be apolitical, that has no blinding social bias - isn't it just stunning the level of universal ignorance and political bigotry.

Thanks for stepping forward with a sane voice.

Yes, because Kyl is making an apolitical statement. The bipartisan passage out of committee, 5 former Secretaries of State from both political parties, and over 70 national security advisors and military officials from 8 different administrations are the ones being partisan. How do you speak without being struck by lightning?

http://globalsolutions.org/files/public/documents/New-START-factsheet.pdf

no joe, no bo, nj: BS! Have you seen the Republicans that have come out in favor of signing START? I guess theyre just RINOs, huh? FOX News can sell you anything and you'll buy it! Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeez.

no joe, no bo, nj - The New START Treaty is important to American interests in many ways, and does not include language that harms American interests - unless, perhaps, you work for Raytheon on the PATRIOT Missle System (which doesn't work anywhere near as well as the propaganda claims).

The first and most important of American intersts served by the treaty is continued and expanded inspection and verification regimes in Russia conducted by U.S. inspectors. This aids greatly in suppressing the threat that nuclear materials or weapons may be acquired by terrorists or nations unfriendly to the U.S. It also aids in the steady reduction of nuclear weapons and the concomitant threat of their use in war - a publicly-proclaimed goal of the President's that has drawn very, very wide approval at home and abroad.

We must never forget that Russia remains as yet an unstable state. Since the collapse of the USSR, Russians are extremely touchy about their national dignity, the more so because they are self-conscious about their loss of power and prestige in the world. That attitude had a great deal to do with Russia's sensitivity to the proposed missile defense screen the U.S. had proposed to place in Poland, the Czech Republic, and other locales. Passage of this treaty and a demonstration of regard for Russia has an important effect on U.S.-Russian relations.

In addition, much of the country is controlled by organized crime along with corrupt regional, provincial and municipal officials Many public employees are not paid their full salaries or at times are not paid at all for months - creating conditions in which those wishing to buy nuclear weapons or materials may be successful.

And it is part of the Russian mindset that they historically distrust other countries and see not only hidden agendas where none exist, but also backstabbing treachery with every smile and handshake. Again the treaty helps ease some of this inherent suspicion in the view of Russian leadership.

The U.S. does need Russian support and cooperation in various world affairs - especially with Iran.

The Senators and their staff members, the committees and their staff members, all have had more than half a year to study and analyze the New START Treaty. Complaints about "What's the rush?" are spurious. So are complaints about the reason for this treaty, its importance to American interests, and the concern over placement of missile defense systems in friendly countries around Russia's western borders.

The New START Treaty should be passed soon in the Senate.

Kyl is putting country first, it's just in this case the country is Russia.

Ummm Kyl is putting nobody first. The START treaty is aimed at arms reduction, and has Russian giving us permission to inspect and verify their nuclear stockpile, to make sure nothing else is missing. We can't do that right now, cause the previous treaty is no longer valid. Believe me, Kyl is benefitting no one but the arms black market.

Actually, by not knowing where Russia's nukes are, Kyl is putting the terrorists first. Not surprising. Any man that would stand beside McConnell in the goal to bring down the President of the United States of America is obviously a friend to the terrorists.

Kyl bin Laden? Osama bin Kyl? They both have a familiar ring to them, don't they...

Kyl is putting country first, it's just in this case the country is Russia.

I disagree. Rusia benefits from this treaty as much as we do. maybe more. This treaty is good for all of us. Scuttling it just to try to bring down a president you don't like is the worst kind of politics, and Kyle is the worst kind of politician. Willing to put politics ahead of country, ahead of the national good.

Don't forget Arizona's murderous governor. Jesus wept. I thought Kentucky was bad!

Gina, as nice of a thought as it may be, I doubt he would listen to anyone but the people filling is pocketbook. Instead, lets find out who these people are, and them, and Kyl, brought up on charges for supporting terrorism, and compromising national security.