Free Republic

As BBC news reported yesterday, under the title "Russia Bares its Military Teeth" : "Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov has said his country does not rule out a pre-emptive military strike anywhere in the world if the national interest demands it. " The title hides the REAL message : Russia enters new territory : for the first time it threatens NATO in the media with a pre emptive strike. More details from de.news.yahoo.com (translated fom german). The reason for the threat : "continuation of NATO in its current form".

Russia bears its military teeth Putin: Russia's nuclear arsenal as deadly as ever. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov has said his country does not rule out a pre-emptive military strike anywhere in the world if the national interest demands it. He said that Russia faced foreign interference in its internal affairs and instability in neighbouring states as well as classic threats such as the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, international terrorism and the drugs trade President Vladimir Putin, who met Mr Ivanov on Thursday, added that the Russian military still possessed a formidable nuclear arsenal. A report by the...

Moscow-AP March 26, 2003 -- Russia says it will keep some of its nuclear installations closed to outsiders. This, as the US seeks more access to check on its nearly two (b) billion-dollar investment in the sites. A new congressional report claims nearly two-thirds of Russia's nuclear material may be inadequately protected despite the US spending almost two-(b)-billion on safeguards. Russia says it is limiting access for reasons of national defense. It has given the US details of its nuclear cooperation with Iran, which some US officials fear could help Iran develop nuclear weapons. Russia says it will continue working...