Changes

:Well, this is again off topic, but since you told me to post here I guess it's ok. Moral equivalence has nothing to do with whether or not Russia ''feels'' threatened, it has to do with whether or not Americans think Russia is ''justified'' in taking action. There's a huge difference between how we perceive actions and how Russia perceives them.

:Well, this is again off topic, but since you told me to post here I guess it's ok. Moral equivalence has nothing to do with whether or not Russia ''feels'' threatened, it has to do with whether or not Americans think Russia is ''justified'' in taking action. There's a huge difference between how we perceive actions and how Russia perceives them.

:You have never seen any evidence that Russia had this worry?! That's what the whole arms race was about! The Cold War was two competing [[realist]] powers -- a classic case of the [[security delema]]. The fear of a [[first strike]] is why arms limitation talks started as early as 1966 (between Johnson and Kosygin), why the Soviets wanted to ban [[MIRV]]ed missiles in [[SALT I]], and why we created the [[Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty]]. You simply can't chalk it all up to warmongering Commies.

:You have never seen any evidence that Russia had this worry?! That's what the whole arms race was about! The Cold War was two competing [[realist]] powers -- a classic case of the [[security dilemma]]. The fear of a [[first strike]] is why arms limitation talks started as early as 1966 (between Johnson and Kosygin), why the Soviets wanted to ban [[MIRV]]ed missiles in [[SALT I]], and why we created the [[Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty]]. You simply can't chalk it all up to warmongering Commies.

:Finally, [[deterrence theory]] is ''not'' about agression, and it's certainly not about good and evil! How can it be good and evil when both sides think they are the good guys? And it's not necessarily about agression, nearly as much as it is about ''perceived'' agression (as I mentioned before) or ''possible'' agression. So even if Russia doesn't think we are going to nuke them today, having an MDS in the Czech Republic still gives us a first-strike capability. Russia has been growing more and more wary of our activities over the last couple of years; it's perfectly in their interest to fear a first-strike capability -- if not for now, then somewhere down the road.

:Finally, [[deterrence theory]] is ''not'' about agression, and it's certainly not about good and evil! How can it be good and evil when both sides think they are the good guys? And it's not necessarily about agression, nearly as much as it is about ''perceived'' agression (as I mentioned before) or ''possible'' agression. So even if Russia doesn't think we are going to nuke them today, having an MDS in the Czech Republic still gives us a first-strike capability. Russia has been growing more and more wary of our activities over the last couple of years; it's perfectly in their interest to fear a first-strike capability -- if not for now, then somewhere down the road.