SecDef Confident START Can Be Verified and Monitored

Despite some Senatorial misgivings, Secretary Gates is certain that attempts by the Russians to cheat the START treaty would not go well.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates told lawmakers Wednesday he expects Russia to abide by a new nuclear arms treaty, but if it doesn't, that could wreck chances for future agreements.

In a newly declassified letter provided to The Associated Press, Gates wrote that he and the top U.S. military leadership have concluded that Russia will not be able to achieve "militarily significant cheating" under the New START treaty.

Some Republicans have questioned the value of the treaty and expressed concern about whether Russian compliance can be adequately ensured. The Obama administration has made a strong pitch for Senate ratification, arguing that it serves U.S. national security interests and that key allies in eastern and central Europe view the treaty as a symbol of U.S.-Russian cooperation.

By: Brant