Obama and Medvedev agree to nuclear arms reduction treaty

When President Barack Obama was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize last year, it was not because of his dealing with America's two wars or his inspiring rhetoric, but rather his vision of a world without nuclear weapons. And after the announcement of a historic nuclear arms reduction treaty between Russia and the United States yesterday, it appears President Obama has moved one step closer to a world free of nuclear weapons.

After the 1991 Start Treaty expired last December, officials from both countries had been trying to reach a deal. And now it appears the two superpowers have reached a breakthrough in relations that will significantly reduce each nations nuclear arsenals and delivery systems as the treaty is reported to call for a reduction to between 1,500 and 1,675 warheads and 500 to 1,100 delivery systems including missiles and bombers. The previous treaty permitted each side a maximum of 2,200 warheads and 1,600 launch vehicles.

White House officials are being cautious about touting President Obama's much needed foreign policy accomplishment before the two sides have actually met to sign the treaty. However, it is expected that President Obama and Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, will meet in the Czech capital of Prague in the next two weeks to sign the treaty into law. 

This is a major foreign policy success for President Obama, who during the election had been sharply criticized by the right for his lack of experience in the field. However, since then, the president has helped to amend the U.S. relationship with the rest of the world, had major successes in defeating the Taliban and al Qaeda in the War on Terror and has brought leaders from around the world together to help fight global warming. Following the signing of the historic health care bill and the annoucement of the nuclear arms reduction treaty this week, President Obama appears to have passed the first-year learning curve that all presidents encounter and is beginning to carve his own path as a great American president.