Global Security Newswire

News media have exaggerated the foreign policy differences of President-elect Barack Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.), Obama's selection to serve as secretary of state, a nonproliferation expert said yesterday (see GSN, Dec. 1).

Political observers have questioned whether the two former presidential campaign rivals could form an effective diplomatic team, but their positions were quite similar in many areas, said John Isaacs, executive director of the Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation.

Obama took fire during the campaign for his willingness to hold direct talks with Iran to help address international concerns about Tehran's nuclear ambitions, but Clinton also supported engaging Iran more than seen under the Bush administration , Isaacs said.

As for U.S. nuclear policies, both Obama and Clinton opposed Bush administration plans to develop a new nuclear warhead and both have promised to pursue U.S. ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

Both candidates also supported the U.S.-Indian nuclear trade agreement that was finalized this year.

Obama and Clinton have at times criticized the Bush administration's push to deploy certain missile defense technologies, Isaacs said (Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation release, Dec. 1).