Worst of all, the Russians and Chinese are threatening to build newer, bigger arsenals to counter missile defences. And it will strain America's alliances as never before. When Prime Minister Jean Chr tien met in Ottawa yesterday with top European Union leaders, missile defence was a prominent, shared concern. That concern grew last summer. Now Bush is president-elect and Republicans are roaring to go.
Missile defences jeopardize both.
Most Canadians will endorse Chr tien's efforts to reinforce existing arms control treaties like the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty, which prohibits such defences, and to encourage the Russians and Americans to cut offensive arsenals. Washington can make it clear that it would annihilate a nuclear aggressor. That would deter any rational leader. Putin also sensibly proposes pooling American and Russian diplomacy, intelligence-gathering and military clout to thwart nuclear outlaws. India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea all acquired The Bomb in part because the world failed to dissuade them.