So the U.S. makes a deal with Poland to establish a missile-defense base there, and Russia gets angry, threatening that its response will go "beyond diplomacy." But don't you have to like the calm, measured response of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice?:
"Rice dismissed the blustery comments from Russian leaders who say Warsaw's hosting of 10 U.S. interceptor missiles just 115 miles from Russia's westernmost frontier opens the country up to attack. Such comments "border on the bizarre frankly," Rice said, speaking to reporters traveling with her in Warsaw. "When you threaten Poland, you perhaps forget that it is not 1988," Rice said. "It's 2008 and the United States has a ... firm treaty guarantee to defend Poland's territory as if it was the territory of the United States. So it's probably not wise to throw these threats around."
Just so.
