U.S. To Withdraw From ABM Treaty

President George W. Bush has decided to tell Russia that the United States will withdraw from the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty that outlaws testing of missile-defense systems.

U.S. officials said Bush will announce the decision to withdraw from the treaty in the next several days. They said he will effectively invoke a clause that requires the United States and Russia to give six months notice before abandoning the treaty.

A senior Russian defense official, speaking during a CNN interview, said the move "is bad for Russia and bad for the United States." Russia has disapproved of Bush's push to develop a missile-defense system and has urged the Bush administration to continue to honor the treaty.

Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle said he opposes abandoning the treaty.

Speaking in a CNN interview, Daschle said, "It would be a real setback for defense and foreign policy to violate the ABM Treaty."

Daschle also called the move "a slap in the face for many people who have committed years, if not decades," to arms control.

Speaking at The Citadel on Tuesday, Bush outlined the need for a more modern military, which distances itself from "obsolete" weapons systems and policies. He later mentioned the "outdated" treaty.

"We must move beyond the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, a treaty that was written in a different era for a different enemy," Bush said. "The United States and its allies must not be stuck in the past. We must build systems to defend ourselves from enemies of the 21st century."

Bush said the war on terrorism also shows the need for high-tech weapons and real-time intelligence.

The president made repeated references to an address he gave at the military college as a presidential candidate two years ago, when he warned of the dangers of terrorism.

Pointing to the battle still raging in Afghanistan, Bush said Special Forces units there have achieved dramatic success using smart weapons against targets using instant satellite communications.

At the same time, Bush said it is crucial that weapons of mass destruction be kept out of terrorists' hands. He called for new anti-proliferation efforts and a promise of a "devastating" response for any group or state using such arms.