But Clinton wanted to negotiate a deal with Moscow that through minimal amendments to the ABM treaty would allow a minimal defensive system to protect against a minimal threat.
Importantly, the question with respect to the secret American biodefense program does not appear to be whether the United States has the right under the Biological Weapons Treaty to conduct research for BW defensive purposes.
You have unwaveringly, and correctly, described the ABM Treaty as an insurmountable impediment to our acquiring the defensive capabilities needed to deal with that threat.
This is especially true since Moscow could use its influence with the three other successor states, or with former Soviet republics that are non-successors, to deploy covertly internetted defensive capabilities that Russia itself would be unable to have under the ABM Treaty.