In a nationally televised 'farewell address' to Russia's State Council on Friday, Vladimir Putin raised the specter of a new arms race with the West. Recently agreed upon NATO missile installations in Poland and the Czech Republic, as well as new bases being built in Romania and Bulgaria, are the stated reason for Putin's heightened rhetoric.
Some relevant quotes from Putin's speech:
"NATO itself is expanding. It's approaching our borders. We drew down our bases in Cuba and in Vietnam. What did we get? New American bases in Romania, Bulgaria. A new third missile defense region in Poland."
While cautioning his audience about the economic and military hazards of becoming entangled in a new arms race, Putin also said:
"Over the next several years, Russia should start the production of new types of weapons systems, which are in no way inferior to what other states have, and in some cases are superior."
And:
"In effect we are being forced to retaliate, Russia has, and always will have, responses to these new challenges."
NATO and the United States have tried justify the necessity of these missile interceptors and radar stations by citing the potential threat of Iranian aggression to regional interests. Putin quite clearly does not accept these explanations, and loudly signaled his willingness to raise the profile of this dispute.
PHOTO SOURCES
In May, Vladimir Putin will step down as Russian President, and his title will likely be assumed by his preferred successor, Dmitri Medvedev. His speech is being interpreted as an effort to set the tone for Russia's future strategic posture, in relation to the West, under its next President.
President Putin's address comes less than a month before Russians go to the polls to vote for his successor, widely expected to be First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitri Medvedev. Medvedev has indicated that, as president, he would name Mr. Putin as prime minister.
Unsurprisingly, and despite Putin's assertions in the same speech that democracy is a valued "cornerstone of Russian society", outside observers are left unimpressed in the run-up to Russia's election:
Opposition parties say the vote is a farce and slanted in Medvedev's favour. Europe's main election watchdog announced on Wednesday it was pulling out of monitoring the March 2 vote because of Moscow's obstruction.
The Cold War is dead. Long live The Cold War!