Sad that even at NC you get articles with an anti-Russian slant. Perhaps I read it wrong, however the author seemed to be implying that NATO was simply reacting to reckless Russian nuclear policy. Like the idea Russia would use tactical nukes because they had inferior conventional forces. Sorry wrong! The whole prospect of Russia using nukes is due to neo-con policy that the US can win a first strike nuclear war. The Russians are being forced to entertain such actions because of the wackos running NATO and the US government.