Indeed, no bilateral strategic arms reduction treaty with the Soviet Union or Russia has ever been ratified during a lame duck session.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy

John Kerry of Massachusetts, are demanding that the Senate ratify the New START arms-control treaty with Russia during this year's lame-duck congressional session.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: The illusory verification gap

It could duck awkward questions about how and why Russia generated chaos (the shelling of parliament in 1993), savagery (the Chechen war in 1994-96) and criminality (always and everywhere) on a scale unimaginable in any western democracy.

ECONOMIST: Still most awkward partners