Russian President Putin warned Tuesday that a planned US missile defense shield would make Europe a "powder keg" and lashed out at his EU critics. Russia's military meanwhile successfully tested a new ballistic missile.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,214 ... 44,00.html

Now I admire Putin for being an ex-KGB judo blackbelt badass, but I cannot understand the logic of this decision.

Putin dreams of a super powerful Russia...but i dont see that coming with a small and aging population (about 140 millions, veeery small to its size) where alcoholism is a real huge social problem.

Putin is an asshole

But he's pretty good looking as far as heads of state go. Secret Agent-esque?

I wouldn't hit it

I dunno, he has the thousand yard stare, much like the newest James Bond. Plus, you know he has to be fabulous in bed to have survived being a spy.

knowing Judo = +
suppressing various democratic freedoms for hundreds of millions of people = -

Don't you like a man who tells you what to do?

I'm usually the dominant one

Putin was never a case officer.operative, he was an analyst then a glorified den mother to the KGB personnel before he buddied up with powers that be. The only threat to his power has been, and will continue to be, his countrymen.

I think I remember something about him being a desk jockey, but its ever so much fun to imagine him sipping on martinis and bedding gorgeous women (or men). Why must you rain on my parade!?

It might have been Man in Black, but someone posted an article about NATO expansion during the 90s and Russia's resentment of it. I understand their distaste upon finding themselves suddenly powerless, but having never treated the republics as anything more than garrison quarters for soviet troops, it should be no wonder that they ran for Russias long time enemy. Obviously NATO doesn't provide an equal status to all its members, but Eastern Europe probably has more say in the day to day activities of that then they ever did the USSR. NATO is of laughable military utility at present, so again Russia should only feel threatened economically by its expansion. If Russia doesn't like its relationship with most of the former Republics it is because, as far as I can tell, it still considers them to be her rightful posesion or client states. I get the feeling that these countries would be more responsive to Russia if they at least received an apology for their terrible treatment for the last half century.

Regarding the missile bases, there is again no good will these countries fear spoiling because Russia is still mad as hell at their gall to leave her sphere of influence. This problem seems to be entirely that of Russia, and no one else is acting obscene here.

I cannot believe that Russia feels legitimately threatened by the United States or NATO at present. I feel this latest exchange is strictly political . Lets face it, the E.U. has been increasingly critical of Putin because of Russia's energy policies which have western Europe's balls in a vice grip. In response, the E.U. has launched into vocal tirades against Moscow's questionable human rights record, killing of journalists, assassination of its intelligence officers and generally contemptible morals as of late. Add Russia thumbing its their nose at the rest of the world by securing an exclusive energy deal with Kazakhstan and you have a very hostile political climate. Anything to displace the heat. Lets blame America, everyone else is doing it (hell, even we are).