Given what we now know about Russia's actual military strength, perhaps having a couple thousand US troops rotate in and out of Poland really was a threat.
NATO was never going to attack Russia: I know that, you know that, the Russians know that. All this blather about "threats to Russia" is the same propaganda that's emanated from the Muscovite regime for centuries.
All this fear of Russia, and their tanks, well, we knew from Desert Storm, that were no match for our weapons. So from 1991 I have had no fear of Russia watsoever. But all this rhetoric about fears of Russia and how the Left cowered and feared Russia, made me laugh.