The START nuclear arms treaty and how the GOP is endangering us

It may seem like common sense that when presented with a treaty to reduce stockpiles of nuclear arms and creating further cooperation with an ally that was once your arch enemy, that you would ratify the treaty to prevent another conflict from breaking out. Unfortunately the Republicans in the Senate seem to lack common sense as they are wanting to filibuster the New START nuclear arms treaty with Russia, citing problems such as it puts our country at risk and they don't like the terms of the treaty. What they don't realize is that if the treaty goes unratified, it just gives Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin another reason to hate us and maybe cause Cold War II. In the past the treaties START I, II, III and its predecessor SALT were ratified with large margins, with at least 90 votes. So what makes this one any different? The answer is both simple and complicated. First off, the Republicans in Congress are generally opposed to anything that might be seen as a positive for President Obama. They have been like this all along. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has even gone on the record saying that the Republican's priority these next two years is to defeat the President, no matter the cost. So causing another period of tensions with our one-time super power foe is worth it, as long as President Obama is defeated in 2012? According to McConnell, it seems that way. But it's complicated in that if the above isn't the only reason to oppose it, what else is there? I can't seem to think of any reason to oppose it. Heck, very prominent Republican diplomats and politicians support it, including former Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Henry Kissinger and former President George H. W. Bush. Just like with the tax cut debate, this proves how out of touch the Republicans are and how much they only care about the success of their party and the downfall of the opposition. I implore the Republicans; get this treaty ratified now before it becomes a bigger issue in the future.