Rehberg Claims START Treaty Guts Malmstrom Nukes

U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg is claiming in mail to constituents that the Obama administration's New START treaty will strip Malmstrom Air Force Base of its entire contingent of nuclear missiles.

Rehberg is locked in a big U.S. Senate battle with incumbent Democrat Jon Tester. The Republican has been hammering the administration, and Tester, for an arms reduction treaty he argues is bad for national security.

A mailer Rehberg sent to Montanans says "The Obama START Treaty seeks to eliminate 150 missiles at Malmstrom."

That contradicts public statements from Air Force leaders who have said each base could lose 10 intercontinental ballistic missiles as a result of the new arms control treaty with Russia.

A Rehberg spokesman won't disclose who told the congressman that the true intent is to gut Malmstrom.