Originally Posted by Tehran Tim

The missile system is obviously aimed at Russia not Iran; people here laugh when they hear Bush say it's aimed at Iran.

Let's put this in context. Gorbachev in 1991 allowed the newly reunified Germany to become a part of NATO under the condition that Bush Sr. promise not to expand NATO any further east. Germany's a country that's attacked Russia twice in the past century. Bush agreed, but just a few years later Clinton expanded NATO further to the East. Then you look at all the post Cold War agreements that were signed with Russia. For example the reduction of nuclear arms, which is an obligation under the NPT, or the closing down of bases by both sides. Russia has closed down most of its military bases, while the US that had the same obligation expanded those bases into Russia neighborhood.

So within that context, would you not be paranoid if you were Russia? Is it not an insult to the Russian peoples intelligence to tell them that the Eastern Europeans need a missile defense shield because WE of all people will try to bomb them?

It's common sense mate.