Lone Ranger

I can't believe how the media didn't do more with the recent Russian comment that basically was a threat to nuke Poland over our missile defense deal with them. If the USA or a USA military figure had made a comment even remotely similar about alluding to a nuclear strike, can you imagine the resulting world uproar? Not to mention the recent Russian muscle flexing in Georgia.

I have to wonder, if the recent behaviour of the Russian military and national leadership reflects the will of the Russian people? I thought the Russian people better liked the current version of Russian more than they like life as a subject of the [former] USSR, but lately it seems like Russian military and leadership is looking for any excuse to re-draw boundaries back to the old USSR Warsaw Pact [Eastern Bloc] holdings.

I also think the Russian military and leadership is being opportunistic with regard to believing that America is not able to respond due to Iraq and Afghanistan, and/or the American people have no stomach for another conflict especially with them (Russia) and that they can resultingly throw their weight around and get away with it.

I hate to say it, but this whole "cold war is over" thing doesn't make me trust Russia anymore than I did during the cold war. This may change as time passes, but right now I think that there are too many former cold war era officials still running Russia. I mean, Putin was a former KGB official, what does that tell you? I don't know though, I guess people could remind us that HW Bush was a former CIA official.

Cajun

Putin is no longer Russia's president, but he is still pulling the strings..

This stuff is him talking. Former KGB, remember.

Cajun

mizzouHHR

Once KGB, always KGB. No question Putin desires Russia to go back to it's communist past. I would have to agree with Lone Ranger that the people of Russia would have to be much happier with a more democratic and free Russia, rather than a communist USSR. Sadly, unless there is a sizable revolt, they may not have a voice. And even then, it may not hold.

One thing is for sure, the cold war is not over.

SandyBeach

Russia is starting to think they're powerful because of all their oil reserves. Surely China will be begging them for oil in the future. The US really can't stop them because we're trying to simultaneously win two wars and keep an eye on Iran and North Korea. No way can we get involved with anyone else.

My concern is can we trust Poland with our missles?

Cajun

I believe that Poland is the least of our worries....

Cajun

hhrcrafty

The missile shield will be controlled by a base in the Czech Republic, not Poland. The rockets will simply be based in Poland with a Patriot battery in place with local control for local air defense.

The Russians are rattling the saber because they've agreed to supply all this technology to Iran, Syria, and North Korea and anti-MIRV technology renders it all obsolete. There's no way the shield as it's designed could be used to attack MIRVs from Russia-launched ICBMs because they're launched from a higher latitude and designed to come over the North Pole.