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James Woolsey to Newsmax TV: Open Skies Treaty Outdated

(Newsmax TV's "Newsmax Now")

By    |   Tuesday, 08 October 2019 08:09 PM EDT

While Democrats and President Donald Trump's critics are skeptical of talk of pulling out of the Open Skies Treaty with Russia, former CIA Director James Woolsey called the pact outdated, telling Newsmax TV Tuesday that satellite technology can watch Russia well enough.

"It's useful, but satellites are so capable now, and this treaty is 18 years old, and satellite technology's been improving for years for decades since the late fifties," Woolsey said during an appearance on "Newsmax Now."

"And so you don't really need it for most of what you can see."

The Open Skies Treaty permits NATO allies and Russian neighbors to monitor the Russian military from the air.

Critics say leaving the treaty would be reckless and only benefit Russia.

"Occasionally there's something that's technologically useful, but it's mainly I think the international relations and political issue with Ukraine," Woolsey told host John Bachman.

Woolsey did admit Trump tends to be an "all or nothing" advocate on foreign policy and he is in a "nothing mood right now," according to Woolsey.

"He sometimes moves pretty fast," Woolsey said. "He will do something on Twitter before hardly anybody in his administration has talked to him about it."

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Former CIA Director James Woolsey called the Open Skies Treaty outdated, telling Newsmax TV that satellite technology can watch Russia well enough.
james woolsey, open, skies, treaty, satellite
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2019-09-08
Tuesday, 08 October 2019 08:09 PM
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