Test Of Leadership

Like many, I am outraged by the latest chapter in the playbook of Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.), who appears determined to prevent U.S. ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). His latest efforts are described on page 8 by Assistant Managing Editor Lois Ember. Helms is once again holding the treaty hostage to his own foreign policy agenda, which includes reorganizing the State Department and reforming the United Nations. These may be laudable goals, but in the process he is threatening the future well-being of this planet. The CWC, which now has 161 signatory nations and, as of last week, had been ratified by 68 countries, is the first treaty that bans an entire class of weapons of mass destruction. This treaty has enjoyed widespread bipartisan support, beginning with the Reagan Administration. Past and present directors of the Central Intelligence Agency, respected military leaders, Republican leaders such as Sen. Richard G. Lugar (R-Ind.) and ...