re: #107 Salamantis

As I said before, the deciding factor for me will be whether or not a quid pro quo emerges wherein Russia about faces and supports additional UN sanctions of Iran, as well as other punitive economic and trade measures, and they are enough to halt Iran’s headlong rush towards nuclear weapons capacity..

If this doesn’t happen, we have just ended up damaging some steadfast alliances without gaining any advantage whatsoever over adversaries in exchange.

Again: Obama junks Bush’s European missile defense plan

The change comes days before Obama is to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the United Nations and the Group of 20 economic summit. Medvedev reacted positively, calling it a “responsible move.”

“The U.S. president’s decision is a well-thought-out and systematic one,” said Konstantin Kosachev, head of the foreign affairs committee in the State Duma, the lower house of the Russian Parliament. “Now we can talk about restoration of the strategic partnership between Russia and the United States.”

At the same time, Russia’s top diplomat warned that Moscow remains opposed to new punitive sanctions on Iran to stop what the West contends is a drive toward nuclear weapons.