Missile defenses and the russian-united states reset: Reflexive confusion?

TheU.S.-Russian impasse over theObamamissile defense plan for Europe is a composite of both technology and politics. Russian threat assessments offer a pessimistic view of NATO enlargement into former Soviet security space and the deployment of any missile defense elements there. Russian objections to NATO European missile defenses have an aspect of attempted "reflexive control" over foreign and domestic audiences, but analysis shows that U.S. and NATO missile defenses even if improved are unlikely to pose a threat to Russia's strategic nuclear deterrent.