This week, President Obama put his signature on perhaps the hallmark foreign policy achievement of his young presidency - a renewed START treaty agreement with Russia that calls for dramatic bilateral cuts in the nuclear stockpiles of both countries. This is a huge political victory in the international arena for Obama, breathing life into a souring relationship with Moscow, and way-siding the lack of progress in Israel-Palestine peace talks throughout the last year. This is undoubtedly a massive step toward the President’s eventual (and yes, perhaps idealistic) goal of a nuclear-free world.

The only obstacle left in the way of this ambitious initiative is ratification in the US Congress. Simple, right? Not so much. Political gridlock in Washington pervades not on domestic, but also these paramount and seemingly non-controversial foreign issues and initiatives. (more…)