Because Russia's nuclear weapons infrastructure continues to crumble, some American conservatives, such as Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), have argued that the U.S. does not need to pursue arms reduction treaties with Russia. Their arsenal can decay while we can keep a larger arsenal. Here again, this would be a mistake. Rather than force Russia to do whatever it can to maintain unsafe and unreliable warheads subject to accidental firing, the U.S. should pursue verifiable, guaranteed reductions.

Helms opposes any administration attempt to seek ABM Treaty modifications that could limit NMD and be coupled with further arms reductions. Texas Gov. George W. Bush has also stated that he would abrogate the treaty if Russia would not allow a missile defense of his choosing.

Unlike Russia, China realizes that NMD would directly threaten the viability of its nuclear deterrent, which includes only about 20 intercontinental ballistic missiles. Aside from taking the obvious step of potentially building up its nuclear arsenal in response to NMD, China has already taken diplomatic steps and could take other military steps in opposition. In October 1999, China joined forces with Russia in cosponsoring a United Nations resolution calling for adherence to the ABM Treaty. In February, China spoke out in the Conference on Disarmament about preventing an arms race in outer space. A Chinese missile buildup could fuel the arms race between India and Pakistan.

More than ten years after the Cold War, the U.S. needs to reevaluate what it has accomplished with the "gift of time" that nuclear activist Jonathan Schell '65 eloquently wrote about in 1998. Writing soon after news of the Clinton administration's nuclear war fighting plans trickled to the press, Schell noted the irony of the U.S., the strongest conventional military power, clinging to nuclear weapons for its security when the demise of the Soviet Union presented an opportunity for moving resolutely toward nuclear abolition.

President Clinton should delay a decision to deploy missile defense and seize the opportunity to achieve deeper arms reductions with Russia.

Charles D. Ferguson, a physicist, is director of the Nuclear Policy Project at the Federation of American Scientists.