[Kazuaki Shimazaki II]

Just caught that myself - they hadn't said this one. On the other hand, Patriot is part of the missile defense, but clearly the capabilities of the system is not going to be useful against the unlikely, hypothetical missile from Iran. So, really, who's left?

According to the article, Russia mumbled something about "not only through diplomatic channels", and it became nukes?

Besides, targeting is just that ... targeting. Since you clearly are not an ally, Poland should have expected that Russia will add Polish targets to their to-nuke-in-war list. I frankly don't even see the provocation or meanness in all this - it is just what you expect when you suck up to another Big Brother.

In the unlikely event the Russians do take "military action" against those bases, it'll probably be either a commando or a low-level air raid that aims to make the destruction a fait accompli, similar to the Israelis and the Iraqi reactor in '81 or so.

As for Rice, I just want to howl a bit:
"Missile defense, of course, is aimed at no one,"

Any defense or offense is always aimed at someone. Otherwise you should have saved the money to build a school.

The idea that a defensive system cannot pose a danger to anybody was refuted by the United States in the 90s, when they stopped Cyprus from installing S-300 SAMs.

"It is in our defense that we do this."

Cool. Defense against what? Iran? Then what are these Patriots? Russia. Now at least this is an honest answer...