Russia Rising

POTSDAM, Germany, May 30 -- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday tangled fiercely over U.S. proposals to grant Kosovo independence and build a missile defense shield. Lavrov accused the United States of starting a new arms race with its plan to install a radar system in the Czech Republic and 10 interceptor missiles in Poland. (Washington Post)

The increasing tension between the United States and Russia is starting to cocnern me. Despite Condoleezza Rice's acadamic background on the Soviet Union, it appears that she may be tone deaf to legitimate Russian concerns. Of all people, she should know that Russia's sense of encirclement has deep historical roots. From a geo-strategic standpoint, Russia is difficut to defend, with its sprawling plains. If it wasn't for the intercession of General Winter, Napoleon and Hitler would have prevailed. The Russian sense of paranoia that reached its zenith during the Stalin era is starting to again assert itself.