Before I forget again, here are a couple of day-old (or week-old) posts.

Recently Russia stepped up opposition to an anti-ballistic missile base in the Czech Republic. I couldn't stop laughing when the "All Bush All the Time" crowd worked through incredible mental contortions to blame Bush for everything bad about Eastern Europe. By putting a defensive line in Eastern Europe, he was destabalizing politics in the region.

Although the official purpose of the defensive shield is to protect against regional missiles from Iran (which it has already purchased from North Korea), Russia's opposition was that the shield could also stop Russian missiles fired on former puppet states.

And the "All Bush All the Time" crowd was incensed that Bush would do anything to keep Russia from firing missiles on the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania, the Balkans, or anywhere else. I really can't figure out why. Apparently Russia has a clear right to affect poolitics by threatening missile strikes -- especially nuclear missile strikes.

Does America have the same right? Is it OK for the US to affect politics in our region by threatening missile strikes? Mexico would find a way to police its border if the alternative were a mushroom cloud over Mexico City. I'm not seriously suggesting that we go to this level of brinksmanship, but I'm amazed that anyone would defend Russia's ability to engage in such politics.