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Clinton assails GOP's 'new isolationism'

President says he'll veto across-the-board budget cuts

October 14, 1999
Web posted at: 7:35 p.m. EDT (2335 GMT)


In this story:

Lott: 'It was a bad treaty'

Clinton: End 'reckless partisanship'

Administration to abide by test ban

White House in touch with Pakistanis


WASHINGTON (CNN) -- On the day after the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty went down to defeat in the Senate, President Bill Clinton accused Republicans in Congress of "reckless partisanship" and a "new isolationism" that threatens to undermine 50 years of American global leadership.

Clinton
Clinton accused the Republicans of 'reckless partisanship' in defeating the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty  

"You see it in the refusal to pay our U.N. dues. You see it in the woefully inadequate budget for foreign affairs that includes meeting our obligations to the Middle East peace process," Clinton said during an hour-long White House press conference Thursday.

"You see it in the refusal to do our part to stem the tide of global warming."

Clinton said, "They are saying America does not need to lead either by effort or by example. They are saying we don't need our friends or allies. They're betting our children's future on the reckless proposition that we can go it alone.

"That is not where I stand, and that is not where the American people stand."

Lott: 'It was a bad treaty'

Lott
Lott said the vote was about 'substance,' not personalities or politics  

But Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott rejected the president's accusations, saying, "This treaty was voted down because it was a bad treaty."

Lott said he was convinced that the treaty was flawed because it would not allow the United States to continue the nuclear testing he said it needed to do and would not detect low-level nuclear tests by other countries.

Lott denied that the vote was politically inspired, and he denied that Republicans were being isolationists. "We aren't being international cowboys either," said Lott. "We are not a rubber stamp for the president on a treaty that we believe is wrong."

Clinton: End 'reckless partisanship'

The president challenged Republicans to work with him on reaching a budget agreement before next week, when a temporary spending measure keeping the government running expires.

"There are legitimate differences of opinion, but we can put an end to reckless partisanship, to gimmicks and gamesmanship. We can put people first and make a principled, honorable compromise," Clinton said.

"We can work for a season of progress, not a winter of politics," he said.

But Clinton made it clear that he would veto a GOP proposal for across the board spending cuts to avoid spending the Social Security surplus, which he said would hurt educational programs.

Administration to abide by test ban

Supporters of the test ban treaty, which would outlaw underground nuclear testing, could muster only 48 votes in the Senate Wednesday night, far short of the 67 votes needed for ratification.

However, Clinton vowed Thursday to continue to press for ratification of the treaty, and he said that for the duration of his presidency, the United States would abide by its provisions.

"We're not going to test. I signed that treaty. It still binds us unless I go, in effect, and erase our names," he said.

But Clinton predicted that "if we ever get a president that's against the test ban treaty, which we may," it could encourage other nuclear countries -- China, Russia, India and Pakistan in particular -- to resume their own testing programs.

The president also said he believes a "strong minority" of congressional Republicans wants to scrap the entire array of international arms control agreements, and he vowed to do what he can to make sure that doesn't happen.

"Imagine the world we live in if they prevail," he said. "I think these arms control agreements have created a climate in the world which has helped to make us far more secure."

Treaty opponent Sen. James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma) said, "I've never heard so many untrue things said with a such a straight face as this president has said."

"If anything, (defeating the treaty) helps us in our national security," he said. "If we have what really amounts to unilateral disarmament ... that would put us in a much more difficult position."

Critics of the treaty say that it would be impossible to make sure other nations are complying with its provisions -- and that maintaining the U.S. nuclear arsenal requires having the flexibility to test.

White House in touch with Pakistanis

Clinton also said his administration had been in touch with representatives of the Pakistani military who this week overthrew the elected government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The president gave no details of those discussions except to say that the United States made it clear that "we don't like it when military leaders displace elected governments.".

"We hope they will move to a civilian government as quickly as possible," he said.

This report was written by Richard Shumate


RELATED STORIES

Despite Senate rejection, Clinton vows to fight for test ban treaty (10-13-99)

Clinton writes letter seeking delay of nuclear test ban treaty vote (10-11-99)

White House presses case to delay test ban treaty vote (10-10-99)

Senate Democrats move to postpone test ban vote (10-8-99)

Test ban treaty in limbo; U.S. nuclear policy on the line (10-7-99)

Senators try to find exit strategy on nuclear test ban treaty vote (10-6-99)

White House fights to save nuclear test ban treaty (10-3-99)

Senate leaders close to agreement on vote for nuclear test ban treaty (10-1-99)


RELATED SITES

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Web site



MORE STORIES:

Thursday, October 14, 1999






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