Images of American soldiers torturing Abu Ghraib prisoners

Putin warns of new Cold War

President Vladimir Putin has warned that Russia will take "retaliatory measures" if the US builds a missile defence system for Europe.

In an interview published in an Italian newspaper, Vladimir Putin criticised plans to put interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar in the Czech Republic, which Washington claims is needed to counter possible threats from Iran and North Korea.

His comments come just days before the annual meeting of G8 leaders in Germany and follows last weeks' tests of Russia's new ballistic missile capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads and a new cruise missile.

Mr Putin said: "We are told that the anti-missile defence system is designed for defending something which does not exist. Doesn't it seem funny to you, to say the least?"

He said the missile defence system would reach as far as his country's Ural Mountains and in a well-known Russian expression added: "It would have been funny if it wasn't so sad."

He warned Russia would retaliate if the US refused to halt the plans, saying: "If this doesn't happen, then we will withdraw any responsibility for our retaliatory measures because it wasn't us who initiated a new round of arms race development in Europe."

Mr Putin said Russia would create a system to counter the US anti-missile one in order to restore "the strategic balance in the world" and suggested his country could aim its nuclear weapons at Europe.

He said the US plan could be an attempt to spoil Russia's relations with Europe, adding: "If it is so, although I am not claiming that it is - it's only one of the versions - but if so, I think that it is another mistake.

"Because in this way, we will not improve international security and international peace."

viva Mr Putin

USA is a nice place to live but the politics is so fucking dirty. I am completely against the build up of the US entry in Europe though its already there but not as prominent as it would be if those missile interceptors are built.
Quite happy to find at least someone in the Europe can foresee the impact of what the US is planning to do by seeking more power than it already has all over the world.
Not to mention the dominance of US in world politics and the fight for power among nations with the help of a deadly weapon called 'terrorism'.