I don’t believe in Geo-Political coincidences. Didn’t Netanyahu have a “secret meeting” with Russia last week?
My two cents. President Obama has taken this step to repay Russia for 1 of/or 2 reasons:
1. Russia has agreed not to help Iran if Israel attacks.
2. We are afraid that Israel might become a Russian ally due to President Obama’s obvious disdain for Israel and this is the chip Russia demanded to keep Israel at arms length.
That was my first thought when I heard the news about trashing the missile defense.
Number 1 in your post is one of the scenarios Savage laid out yesterday. He went into the history of Persia and Russia and how it’s been rocky over the centuries. If this is the reasoning I can’t say I disagree and it may be the best international move made by this administration. I cannot see how a nuclear Iran would be in the interest of Russia.