Obama says ratifying START an "urgent national priority"

WASHINGTON, Dec 19 (KUNA) -- Congress must ratify a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty before leaving for holiday recess as part of an "urgent national priority", US president Barack Obama warned late Saturday.
In a statement, Obama said "Ratifying a treaty like START isn't about winning a victory for an administration or a political party," the president said. "It's about the safety and security of the United States of America." Obama also noted that Marine Corps General James Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stressed the importance of the treaty earlier this week at the White House.
"To have transparency to put structure to that activity, we need START, and we need it badly," Cartwright said.
"We have taken the time to get this right," Obama said, noting that new START has undergone more than seven months of Senate review and 18 congressional hearings.
"It's time to get this done," he said.
Delaying action comes at a cost, the president emphasized. "Every minute we drag our feet is a minute that we have no inspectors on the ground at those Russian nuclear sites," he said. (end) hy.asa KUNA 190907 Dec 10NNNN