Russia threatens Poland over US missile bases

The Polish Foreign Ministry declined to comment. It is not clear what Russia's goals are in escalating the dispute over the US  decision to install parts of the system in Poland and the Czech Republic. It may be just seeking to strengthen its bargaining position to wrestle other political and military concessions from the US. "The worst thing that Poland could do now would be to say 'Oh we need to drop the idea because Russia said this or that'. Poland needs to make an independent judgment of the implications of basing the anti-missile defense system for its national security," says Peter Brokes, expert at the Heritage Foundation, known for its close links to the Bush administration and its hard-line stance on Russia. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 1) R.M.H