Is Russia essentially threatening to strike Poland just because of their deal with the US? (link to article)?

Question

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080820/ap_on_re_eu/poland_us_missile_defense

Seriously...WTF is up with Russia lately? They have become the bipolar disorder country of the world. I understand Putin is a power hungry man and wants to go back to the old soviet union....but now this is getting rather ridiculous. It almost sounds like all rationale has gone out the window and they seem to be itching for a fight at any cost. This is a little scary because to me it sounds as though they aren't going to listen to any one any more. Are they really willing to risk their reputation and start a huge war just to prove a stubborn point?

Answer 1

How can you blame Russia for this

NATO promised Russia they would stop expanding eastwards.

They lied.

USA promised to stop arming Russian enemies in Asia

They lied

Now you expect Russia to sit back and allow USA to build a missile system 100 miles from Russian land that threatens the regional power control? How do you expect Russia to react when it sees that NATO goes against its promise and keeps expanding its Anti-Russia allliance right on Russian borders?

How did America feel when Russia built missile systems in Cuba? Russians are doing what any other country would do. Assert their power and posture to give the message across that you can't "fck with me and alter the chain of command in my region"

If anyone, its the west thats trying to start a world war.

yea. what now.

EDIT: Charlie Bravo, do some research, it wasn't a gentlemans promise at all. It was an actual agreement called the Russian-NATO founding act which NATO violated in 1999 not like anyone but Russia cared.

EDIT2: So America and European countries wont care if Russia starts building SAM's 100 miles from their borders? The fact is that it changes the chain of command in the region and Russia feels threatened that America is trying to take regional control.

By the way. South Ossetia is not part of Georgia. South Ossetia is a independent province that won independence from Georgia in 1991. Georgia signed a treaty with South ossetia giving them their own government which Georgia violated.

Most South ossetians want to be reunited with North Ossetia, and they want to be Russian.

Answer 2

The best answer is given by Phate.

Thank you, I have no to write any more.

Answer 3

They will certainly do something about this new tension that has arisen.

There is a saying that if you back a dog into a corner it will bite.

In the russian perspective they feel squeezed in by western influence and

military power.I doubt that they are going to throw up there hands and go about their normal business.It would be madness too start a war with russia or russia to start one with nato or the usa,but madness does have its moments.I hope it doesn't come to conflict.It is a new cold war.

Answer 4

I really think they're testing Bush on the Iran issue.

Although I wouldn't put it past Putin/Medevev to nuke our THAAD sites in Poland, and if they do (foolishly), then NATO must respond.

Such a response will either be:

1. Bush's finest hour

2. Or Bush's worst foreign policy blunder

EDIT: Phate, there were no such agreements in place, and Russia knows this. And don't hand me this "there was a gentlemens agreement", that's a bunch of hooey. Russia is no more trustworthy than Bush is with claiming WMD's in Iraq.

EDIT2: Phate, another thing, Kruschev put MRBM's in Cuba tipped with nuclear physics packages. The THAAD system doesn't have such weapons packages. The MRBM's effective range is the same as the THAAD system, but the same could be mentioned about the Patriot 2 systems in other NATO member nations (ditto for Poland). Mind you, they rolled in SRBMs (SS-21) missiles into South Ossetia (a Georgian province) well before Poland signed the treaty with NATO/Condi Rice. Dare I mention that Russia is STILL in South Ossetia (and they planned/funded/armed South Ossetian rebels starting way back in 1992?).

EDIT3: I need a link on this "agreement". Otherwise I am going to remain skeptical on your claim. As for the SAMS, you're actually missing my point. Comparing SAMS and the THAAD system to the nukes being deployed in Cuba is a bit like comparing apples to oranges. The missiles in Cuba were nuclear tipped. The THAAD system (of which the missiles AREN'T nuclear tipped) is placed in Poland against Iran (and we all know it's Iran). The weapon system is well out of range of Iranian MRBM/ICBM's (but the THAAD system isn't---or else they would've placed the system in Turkey or Greece).

EDIT4: Your comment "By the way. South Ossetia is not part of Georgia. South Ossetia is a independent province that won independence from Georgia in 1991. Georgia signed a treaty with South ossetia giving them their own government which Georgia violated." is quite irresponsible. Russia funded the separatist movement back in 1992, and sometime later had the COMPLETE AUDACITY to give these loyalists Russian citizenship. I must say this is quite unbecoming to Georgian citizens living in the state of South Ossetia. Russia pryed the country loose thanks to a complete lack of self esteem. Russia ALSO knew NATO was interested (and vice versa) in having Georgia joining the organization, but Russia didn't want this to happen (ditto for Poland). You can't bully someone into submission, Phate. Russia still thinks they can do what some kindergarteners do on a daily basis on the playground. Except THEY ARE IN THE WRONG HERE. South Ossetia is part of sovereign Georgia. Russia deceptively pulled the state apart, and they knew they were doing this YEARS ago.

EDIT5: By the way, you are correct the South Ossetians rebels fought against Georgia in 1990-1991, but combat action was terminated thanks in LARGE part to Russian threats to invade Georgia. Russia accepted Georgian oversight/governing of a large part of South Ossetia after the threat of Russian military intervention.

EDIT6: Please understand that I respect your opinion and not attacking you personally with my rebuttals here.

Answer 5

The Russian really have never changed , its just that they have been broke for the past many years. Now they have lots of oil money , much from Europe I might add , they feel they can pressure Europe because of this reason