Putin -- Unhinged And Off The Deep End

"Mad Vlad" is on the warpath again, and the more we see from Russia nowadays, the more we are certain he is trying to bring back the Cold War. Today, the Globe and Mail has this story about how Putin will "target Europe with missiles:

In an interview with the Globe and Mail, Russian President Vladimir Putin has threatened to target Europe with missiles, including potentially nuclear weapons, in a dramatic escalation of his Cold War-style showdown with the United States.

Mr. Putin, in an interview at his country residence outside Moscow, said he considers U.S. plans to build an eastern European anti-missile site to shoot down Iranian missiles a provocation aimed at Russia.

Asked what he might do to retaliate, he said he would return Russia to the Cold War status where missiles were aimed at European targets.

"It is obvious that if part of the strategic nuclear potential of the United States is located in Europe, and according to our military experts will be threatening us, we will have to respond," he said.

"What kind of steps are we going to take in response? Of course, we are going to get new targets in Europe."

He suggested that this could include powerful nuclear-capable weapons.

"What kind of means will be used to hit the targets that our military believe are potential threats to the Russian federation? This is a purely technical issue, be it ballistic missiles or cruise missiles, or some kinds of novel weapons systems - this is a purely technical issue."

why would a missile defense system designed to take out possible Iranian missiles aimed at Europe be a provocation to Russia. Are we not "peaceful" with them?

In the 21st Century we have learned that our enemies will go to great lengths to hurt us. They do not like us, they do not respect us. So, in an effort to protect ourselves better, and the existence of our allies, we have worked to create a way to stop missile attacks aimed at the aforementioned. Putin, evidently, does not like this. As Thomas would say "Tough. Deal. Cry me a river, build me a bridge, and get over it already."

We have seen what Putin has been doing lately in Russia, and it is anything but the changes urged by Gorbachev in the latter days of his reign. Yeltsin tried to continue those goals, and fell prey to those around him cutting deals with the Russian mafia, and ex-KGB strongmen; strongmen such as Putin who did not simply throw out the old ways. He embraced them, and made them even nastier when he was the FSB director.

With this announcement, if I were the president, I would seriously reconsider the relationship I have with "Mad Vlad."

Marcie