Except for the fact that the USA has offered to allow Russian inspections. And the shortest physical distance between Warsaw and the absolutely closest border of Russia (i.e. the part in the completely uninhabited pine forests remote from any human settlement) is like 400 miles.
But again, you're working from a position of trust. Iraq and North Korea allowed inspectors in too, but we never fully trusted it. The issue Russia would have is allowing the US a strategic foothold that close to their sphere of influence. Once you have something, you can always expand it much more easily (and quietly). My bad - I think it's 150 miles from the Polish border, not from Russia.
Even if the missiles are purely defensive the fear is that with a shield it will be easier to then have a spear underneath it.
I came SO CLOSE to unloading a bawdy joke because of that post, Sishir. Don't tempt me again! Impeach Bush/Cheney.
An interesting article with a Georgian POV on how the war started. There is an obvious bias, but it makes some interesting points: - Claims Georgia had intelligence reports that the Russians were planning the attack well in advance, and that reserves were called up from as far as Moscow according to one of the pilots that was allegedly shot down - Claims Russia had a very deliberate public propaganda strategy designed to make them look like peacekeepers by day while they secretly stormed villages at night and facilitated looting by Abkhazian and Ossetian separatists - Timing was perfect for Russia to make its move. Everything lined up from America being preoccupied with Olympics and politics, Georgia's NATO nomination being delayed and the uncertainty in Iraq handicapping US defense - It did not make sense for Georgia to initiate aggression antagonizing such a powerful enemy knowing that its allies were away watching games in China, and not even bothering to withdraw its best troops from Iraq. The first couple of points are typical allegations, obviously. But the last one does kinda hit home. If we are to buy the story that Georgia started this, then we would have to also buy the fact that they basically brought a knife to a gunfight with no plan B.
Eek, forgot to post the article link. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121988657412478425.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
