From the Inbox
Referencing last week’s coverage of the G8 meetings between President Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin, one reader says:
Dear CFR:
Putin wants it both ways. Russia, through direct and client state proxy actions, has aided China’s, North Korea’s, Pakistan’s and now Iran’s nuclear build up that has put Israel, Iraq, and the entire world at risk. Yet Putin complains when actions are taken to defend ourselves from the No. 1 Rouge Nation on earth, Iran.
Putin denies the missile shield is aimed at Iran, whose ability or interest in striking Europe remains in doubt. “We are being told that this missile defense system is there to defend against something that doesn’t exist,” he told reporters. He promises a new nuclear arms race if plans for the missile shield go forward. Putin’s idea to put the missile shield in Azerbaijan is OK as long a NATO control is iron clad and not subject to any Russian interference.
So it came as rather a shock when on June 7, Putin suggested that Russia partner with the United States on a missile defense shield in the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan
