Disarmament's New Look: Fewer Warheads, No Treaty ; Bush and Putin Pledge Arms Cuts, but Some Key Details Are Unresolved

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The US and Russia have now pledged that they will carry out perhaps the deepest warhead cuts of the atomic age. But pledged is not the same as done, and details left unresolved after Russian President Vladimir Putin's White House visit might loom large in the months and years to come.

Just look at the tough messages Putin slipped into his generally warm remarks at his joint press conference with President George Bush.

We like the idea of massive weapons reductions, said Putin. But we like written treaties, too. In particular, we still like the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty - the very pact that for months President Bush has been calling a dead letter. …