Will the Congress allow Bush to pull out from ABM Treaty?

As it is known, American President George Bush announced last December that the USA was going to pull out from the ABM Treaty of 1972 single-handedly. Pursuant to the terms of the treaty, a party, which is going to pull out from the treaty, is supposed to give a notification of that six months in advance. George Bush did so, but it can happen that the intention of the American president is not going to come true.

Associated Press reported that Congressman Dennis Kucinich claimed that the president did not have the authorities to denounce such treaties independently. Kucinich believes that the president is obliged to notify the Congress about it beforehand and to get its approval. The congressman said that this occasion was a classic constitutional issue about the role of the Congress in passing or rejecting the laws of the country. The congressman said that it was the prerogative of the Congress to decide whether to stay or pull out from any treaties. Kucinich stated that there had been an inquiry sent to the speaker of the house, Dennis Hastert. In the event that law-makers do not support Kucinich’s initiative, he would go to court before June 13 (this is the day when the USA is going to pull out from the ABM Treaty).

However, Kucinich’s initiative is not likely to stop the USA from leaving the treaty, because the decision pertaining to the beginning of the work on the establishment of the anti-missile defense system was made by the Clinton’s administration, when Democrats were at power. Now they are the opposition, and Dennis Kucinich’s claims do not touch upon the main thing - the USA is not going to give up the idea of the creation of the anti-missile defensive shield. The congressman wants his opinion to taken into consideration, but what stopped him from saying this out laud before?

On the photo: Congressman Dennis Kucinich

Vasily Bubnov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov