President Barack Obama is right in not only pushing for a reduction in the global stockpile of nuclear weapons, but also a complete elimination of it. Advanced military technology makes nuclear weapons obsolete. And our foolish invasion of Iraq illustrated nuclear weapons only serve as tools of militaristic brinkmanship that exacerbate tension between nations instead of preventing attack. ThatâÄôs why we support the presidentâÄôs call for a new global nuclear treaty. He also stated his admirable plan to resubmit a proposed Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty to the U.S. Senate for ratification. The United States historically has been at the forefront of eliminating nuclear technology, and because it has the worldâÄôs most dangerous military, it should continue to be on that forefront. The 1968 Non Proliferation Treaty was a watershed in limiting the spread of nuclear weapons. Then in 1991, the United States and Russia signed the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, which has eliminated 80 percent of the worldâÄôs total nuclear arsenal. All this has paved a path for a nuclear-free world. But START is set to expire on Dec. 5, 2009, which would jettison most nuclear restrictions on a more contentious Russia and the United States. The only ratified global treaty, the Non Proliferation Treaty, is outdated, lacking effective methods to reduce or eliminate nuclear stockpiles. A new, practical global treaty would set guidelines for gradual reductions, with a total elimination of the worldâÄôs nuclear arsenal within the century. A global consensus on this issue is idealistic but entirely necessary for a safer world.