Perhaps then, we should remind them of 1989, in EVERY WAY

Putin issues sharp warning to US, vows to counter 'imperialism'

MOSCOW (AFP) - President Putin issued an acerbic warning Thursday to the United States, saying the recent test of a new Russian missile was a direct response to US actions and condemning "imperialism" in world affairs.

"Our American partners have quit the ABM Treaty," Putin told reporters after meeting his Greek counterpart, referring to the landmark 1972 US-Soviet treaty limiting the missile defenses of the Cold War superpower foes.

"We warned them then that we would come out with a response to maintain the strategic balance in the world. Yesterday we conducted a test of a new strategic ballistic missile with multiple warheads, and of a new cruise missile, and will continue to improve our resources."

The United States informed Russia in 2001 that it was exercising its option to withdraw unilaterally from the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) pact. It has since stepped up controversial plans, fiercely opposed by Russia, to deploy a missile defence shield in eastern Europe.

Translation - If you prevent us, via defensive weapons, from the ability to threaten weaker non nuclear states with annihilation, then you imperil our world position enough to cause us to threaten to restart the enter cold war.

The USA has not developed a new ICBM since the early 80's, which we scrapped. Don't even answer Putin. Just put a new one on the drawing boards, and go on to help the states of eastern Europe wordlessy. Announce we are going to build 500 more B-2's.