The Russian Duma's decision to use ratification of the START II Treaty as a tool to force the United States to back away from the deployment of a limited National Missile Defense system is "unacceptable," Defense Secretary William Cohen told lawmakers today. The Duma, Russia's lower house of Parliament, on April 14 approved START II with the non-binding conditions that Russia's adherence is contingent on continued U.S. compliance with the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty and U.S. ratification of the September 1997...
