The Obama administration has changed the missile shield defense set up along the Eastern Bloc region of Europe- purportedly because Iran has changed the way it said it is preparing to defend itself against any possible attacks or hostility. With their recent missile tests just four days before diplomacy meeting efforts around nuclear arms, whatever we are doing better be right and better be fast.

As it stands, though, Russia is unhappy with what the U.S. is doing. “Suspicious” is the word Reuters uses, as in Russia is afraid that its own strategic nuclear weapons will be threatened by the new U.S. layout. Are they really bringing up Cold War stuff again?

Basically the U.S. is looking to establish interceptor missiles in place of fixed bases in Poland and the Czech Republic.

"Where are the guarantees that this mobile thing, be it a boat, a cruiser, or a battleship with a mounted missile-defense system and with missile interceptors, will not sail into our northern seas?" Dmitry Rogozin, Russia’s envoy to NATO.

I mean, everybody is entitled to their opinion and what not, but these are interceptor missiles set up to protect against attacks, Mr. Rogozin- we are not attacking your country, we are not attacking your nuclear missiles, we are not threatening your now weak hold on the nuclear balance in after-Cold War Eurasia. Unless you are watching Dr. Strangelove and thinking it is a documentary, the idea of the U.S. intentionally assaulting you or anyone else with nuclear weapons is ridiculous.

Both Rogozin and President Dmitry Medvedev said that they need further reassurances that their nuclear program is not the target.

Whiners. The U.S. is THE nuclear power in the world- you are not. Whether we set up interceptor missiles to protect our allies from attacks from Iran or not in other countries, not yours, really is of no concern to you. You can worry about it, but you can’t really do anything about it. You lost the cold war, guys- communism fell and you are not the nuclear negotiating power you once were.
That’s one side of the argument. The other is that the U.S. is badly in need of some international friends and we need to stop 1. Getting on everyone’s bad side, and 2. Trying to protect everyone.

Basically, we need to mind our own business- nuclear or otherwise.

Rogozin is a Brussels-based NATO envoy with strong connections in Moscow, having been a former politician in Russia. His concerns about the U.S. tracking Russian missiles up north, therefore, must be entertained.

"We need guarantees that the parameters of deploying these anti-missile (interceptors) will in fact be restricted to small-and medium-range missiles and that they will not encroach on those territories that have serious heavy ground-based or submarine-launched ballistic missiles," Rogozin said.

What reassurances do you want beyond Obama changing the old plan and saying that they are for small and medium range missiles. Isn’t that a guarantee? Aren’t you asking for what he already said? The missiles are going up there for Iran- and you should be glad they are.