FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Caroline Tabler or James Arnold (202) 224-2353
December 12, 2019
Cotton Statement on First Test of Post-INF Ballistic Missile
Washington, D.C. – Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today released the following statement after the Department of Defense conducted its first test of a conventionally-configured ballistic missile since the Russian Federation rendered the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty defunct:
“This is a firm statement to the Russian Federation. They cannot violate international agreements without consequence. Now, I urge the Pentagon to regain the strategic advantage we lost due to the INF treaty by expediting the development and deployment of a new generation of ground-launched missiles. Today’s test signals to Moscow and Beijing that the United States will no longer ignore their threats.”
Background:
For years, Senator Cotton advocated for the United States to bring Russia back into compliance with the INF Treaty or to leave it altogether. A brief timeline is below:
March 2015: Cotton talks about INF Treaty in Maiden Floor Speech
October 2016: Cotton Statement Reports that Russia is Advancing its Missile Program in Violation of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty
February 2017: Cotton, Johnson, Rubio, Poe, and Rogers Introduce Intermediate-Range Forces Treaty Preservation Act
March 2017: Cotton Statement on Reports that Russia Has Deployed a Banned Missile
April 2017: Cotton Op-Ed in the Washington Post: "Russia has subverted our treaty on cruise missiles for years. It's time to act"
July 2017: Cotton Warns Russia to Comply with INF Treaty in CSIS Speech
July 2017: Cotton Questions General Paul Selva on the INF Treaty during Senate Armed Services Committee hearing
December 2017: Cotton, Colleagues Urge Appropriations Committee to fund measures to bring Russia into compliance with INF
March 2018: Cotton Questions Pacific Command Chief Admiral Harry Harris on INF Treaty
October 2018: Cotton Statement on Reports the U.S. is Preparing to Withdraw from INF Treaty
December 2018: Cotton Statement on NATO Confirmation that Russia is in Breach of INF Treaty
February 2019: Cotton Statement on U.S. Withdrawal from INF Treaty
August 2019: Cotton Statement on Formal End of the INF Treaty
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