Article Posted on : - Dec 21, 2010

A file photo of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

WASHINGTON (PTI): A top Republican leader has appealed to the Obama Administration to initiate steps to contain the increasing military capabilities of China.

"We must invest not only in the delivery systems and platforms that will preserve our nuclear delivery capability, such as the next generation bomber, nuclear submarines and a new Intercontinental ballistic missile, but also in the strike aircraft and naval forces required to control the Pacific Rim as economic growth and the military capabilities of China increase," Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, said.

"The war on terror has required an expansion of our nation's ground forces, the Marine Corps, the Army, and our Special Operations Forces, and our near-term readiness.

"As we continue the effort to dismantle, defeat and disrupt al-Qaeda, we must also plan for the threats that our country will face in the coming decades," McConnell said in the Senate floor while announcing his opposition to the New START treaty.

Although the (US) President has decided there is value in pursuing a disarmament agenda, this country may determine in the coming years to place a greater reliance upon the role of strategic arms, and must remain committed to defence modernisation, he said.

"Our nation faces many challenges in the coming decades, some economic, some strategic. It would seem short-sighted to think that as North Korea, Iran and others work to acquire nuclear weapons capabilities we could draw our arsenal down to zero," McConnell said.

He said a decision of this magnitude should not be decided under the pressure of a deadline, referring to the START treaty.

"The American people don't want to squeeze our most important work into the final days of a session. They want us to take the time we need to make informed, responsible decisions. The Senate can do better than to have the consideration of a treaty interrupted by a series of controversial political items," McConnell said.

The Republican leader said he agreed with the conclusion that the New START Treaty central warhead limit of 1,550 cannot be conclusively verified.