I would imagine that most people have at least of heard of the 'Star Wars' progam, or to give it its official title, 'the strategic defence initiative'. To put it in simple terms, it is the positioning of ballistic missles (amongst other weapons) at strategic points both on land and in space to intercept and destroy nuclear missiles. The United States (whose initiative this is) has positioned these sites in strategic positions, and most recently has agreed with Poland, after two years of negotiations, to position 10 interceptor missiles in the country.

In response to this Act, Russian General Anatoly Nogovitsyn, Deputy Chief of Staff has been reported as saying:

"By hosting these (anti-missile shields), Poland is making itself a target. This is 100 per cent certain. It becomes a target for attack. Such targets are destroyed as a first priority."

Now lets make it perfectly clear at this point, that the missiles to be stationed in Poland are NOT nuclear weapons. They are not even offensive weapons. They are defensive weapons designed to 'Protect the United States and its allies from nuclear attack'.

Why does Russia care about the positioning of defensive systems in Poland unless it actually plans to use its own offensive systems? Maybe it is simply jealous that previously Warsaw Pact countries are getting into bed with America and NATO and are increasingly moving to the West for support and away from their old masters in Moscow? This seems like an opportune time to state that when Poland was a member of the Warsaw Pact, it had well over 200 nuclear (offensive) weapons based in it, and seeing as Poland is not a nuclear power, I wonder whose missiles they were?

We are seeing a response from Russia completely out of proportion with the acts of Poland and the US. Russia has threatened one of its neighbours with a nuclear attack simply for the crime of allowing one of its allies to position defensive military hardware on its soil.

Whatever the reason for such a blatant threat it is a totally innapropriate remark to make, be it to scare Poland to backing out of the plan or to antagonise the US. It can be understodd that any country with its own nuclear arsenal becomes a legitimate target for attack in the event of a nuclear war, but countries with no nuclear weapons? Countries with only defensive weapons?

Reagan's 'Evil Empire' may not have the power to strike back yet, but it is well on the way, and if countries like Poland and Georgia cave in to bully-boy tactics, if organisations like NATO don't stand up and be counted soon, then it will have won without firing a shot.