The START II treaty is an agreement between the United States and the Russian Federation on the further reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms. It states that "each party shall reduce and limit its intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and ICBM launchers, submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and SLBM launchers, heavy bombers, ICBM warheads, SLBM warheads, and heavy bomber armaments."

In addition, Russians have stated that they'll end cooperation on nuclear disarmament if the U.S. presses forward with their plans to build the missile defense system. As stated by Yuri Kapralov, director of Russian Security and Disarmament, "If the NMD is deployed in the United States, we will have to forget about reductions of strategic offensive weapons."

Reports are also circulating that Russia has deployed the Topol-M, a counter-threat to the U.S.'s anti-missile air defense system. The Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missile is a three-stage, solid-fueled missile with a reported range in excess of 10,000 kilometers (or over 6,200 miles). Although the Topol-M was designed to be deployed with a single warhead with an estimated yield of 550 kilotons, it can easily be converted to carry at least three warheads with a yield of 1650 kilotons. To put that into perspective, one 550 kiloton warhead has 20 times the amount of power the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima had. In addition to that, the Topol-M is equipped with the most up-to-date means for penetrating an anti-ballistic missile defense, such as the one being developed by the U.S.

According to General Vladimir Yakovlev, commander of Russia's rocket forces, the "Topol-M already has the capability to overcome any anti-missile defense."

We are already seeing the early signs of the beginning of a new arms race. Former President Mikhail Gorbachev has even warned that the U.S. system would lead to "a new spiral of militarization with unpredictable consequences."