President Barack Obama signs the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, February 2. Looking on are Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Senator John Kerry and Senator Richard Lugar
Six short years ago ….
During the August recess of 2005, Richard Lugar and freshman Senator Barack Obama visited Russia, Azerbaijan, and Ukraine to inspect nuclear facilities there. In January 2007, President Bush signed into law the Lugar-Obama Proliferation and Threat Reduction Initiative
Check the microphones, the media didn’t seem too interested in what the freshman senator had to say then 🙂
Baku, Ajerbaijan August, 2005. Photo: Pete Souza
More photos from that 2005 trip, all by Pete Souza:
Inside a dismantled nuclear missile. Photo: Pete Souza
The Obama Diary 
I have always liked Hillary…but I think I have grown to love Hillary. When you think about all the “stuff” she has gone through whether it was the right wing machine or the loss of the presidency..and to come out and work her heart out for the person who defeated her, that’s says ALOT more about who she truly is.
Thank you President Obama. You are continuously doing what others claimed they would do but never had the brains or the tenacity to get stuff done. Bless
Hey, are my eyes getting too old or does our prez have a little mustache in that 2005 trip with Luger?
THANK YOU Mr President 😀
the American people are safer thanks to all involved 🙂
I think you are right Dorothy 😉 😆
It’s amazing that he went from being a junior Senator five years ago, to the guy who signs these things into law and is known generally as the “leader of the free world”. That’s quite a trajectory!
Thank God he took that path. We are in able hands.
I am very happy to see so many smiling faces. These individuals really understand the importance of reducing and securing nuclear weapons.