U.S. Will Not Meet Deadline For Destroying Its Chemical Arms

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld sent a letter to the chairmen of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees informing them that the U.S. will not be able to meet the chemical weapons treaty's extended 2012 deadline for completely destroying the U.S. chemical arsenal. In his letter, dated April 10, Rumsfeld says, "Current estimates indicate approximately 66% of the declared chemical weapons stockpile will be destroyed by April 2012." Of the U.S.'s nine declared stockpiles, only those at Johnston Atoll, Maryland, and probably Utah and Indiana will be completely eliminated by 2012. The treaty's initial deadline is April 29, 2007, but the treaty allows for a one-time five-year extension to 2012 for countries requiring the additional time. Russia, with about 3% of its huge stockpile destroyed, insists it will meet the 2012 deadline. Neither country has formally asked for the extension.