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The latest noise from Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov.
This is not just noise. We should take this as a signal. Russia wants her national security concerns to be taken into consideration. What’s wrong with it? NATO is spreading eastward closer and closer to the Russian soil. She sees this as hostile environment; she naturally wants safety and is keen on preserving her conventional forces in Europe. Again what’s so much frightening in it? Let her have’ em. Mighty America with faithful European allies may well afford this. The present state of things in Russia is far from being cheerful. Current Russia is no match to America both military and economically. But Russian Bear driven to despair may make a lovely mess of things. And there are plenty causes for such despair. When America withdrew unilaterally from the 1972 ABM treaty in 2001 (after the Twin Tower disaster !) it was in no way inspiring for Russia. The spirit of cooperation and trust was endangered greatly then and many times more later on. We should patch up things instead of aggravating the situation.
Neo Imperialist Russia? Rubbish! Too exhausted to be.

I agree that this not noise from Ivanov - that was supposed to be clever wording. Ivanov noise is really Ivanov pain. Russia is making choices. Russia is making un-democratic choices. Russia is in the G8. Russia thinks it will continue to receive a blank check for domestic behavior that runs counter to freedom. Russia is wrong.

Russia calls everything it doesn't like - national security concerns. NATO may be spreading eastward, but so is FREEDOM. Russia sees everything as a hostile environment it doesn't like. Is this behavior from a bear or a mouse?

Poland and the Baltics are interested in growth, progress and freedom. So are we. It is simply too damn bad that Russia has an different agenda. Russian has never been honest with itself and others. Russia simply will not and cannot change.