Cut-backs?

This is coolbert:

Here today from the Chicago Tribune:

"NATION & WORLD"

"Summit opens in agreement"

"U.S. and Russia set framework to trim nuclear stockpiles"

"Strategic warheads just one part of picture."

NUCLEAR WARHEAD STOCKPILES: [as currently existing]

Russia:

Strategic - - 2,790
Tactical - - 2,050.
Non-operational - - 8,160.

U.S.:

Strategic - - 2,200.
Tactical- - 500.
Non-operational - - 6,700.

Russia TOTAL - - 13,000
U.S. TOTAL - - 9,400

These cut-backs will reduce strategic warheads alone, deployed and ready-to-go atomic strategic weaponry reduced to 1,500 for each nation.

And commensurate cut-backs also of delivery systems. Manned bombers, submarine launched and land based intercontinental ballistic missiles [ICBM]. All to be reduced in numbers also.

This agreement is only a continuation of existing agreements. For decades now, the nuclear arsenals of the U.S. and Russia [Soviet Union] have been slowly but surely decreased in number. Warheads and delivery systems both!

MOST MARKEDLY SO TOO! In the early 1980's, the U.S. and the Soviet Union each had about 15,000 atomic warheads on "stand-by", "ready-to-go" status, aimed at one another.

That number of 15,000 has been cut back by about 80 % already!! Quite remarkable.

[I am thinking here about actual warheads actually mounted on missiles or in the bomb bays of long-range aviation warplanes!!]

NOW, EVEN FURTHER REDUCTION!!

This can only be seen as a thing of good.

coolbert.