Obama Offered Deal to Russia in Secret Letter

WASHINGTON — President Obama sent a secret letter to Russia’s president last month suggesting that he would back off deploying a new missile defense system in Eastern Europe if Moscow would help stop Iran from developing long-range weapons, American officials said Monday.
-http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/washington/03prexy.html?_r=1&hp-

This is a rather risky and dangerous situation for President Obama. By wanting to deploy a missile defense system in Eastern Europe in order to 'check' Iran, one can tell that Obama is looking out for the security of our country. However, Eastern Europe is still considered to be Russia's sphere of influence, and obviously President Obama does not want to set up a missile system in which Russia may perceive it as encroaching, and thus strain foreign relations with Russia. If Russia however, does not help dissuade Iran from developing long-range weapons and does not "permit" the U.S. to set up a missile defense system, we would be in a tight bind. If this scenario ever occurs, I believe it to be better if President Obama not deploy the missile defense system anyway, not without Russia's "permission". This would only raise the tension, and who knows, maybe a Cuban Missile Crises-type dilemna could occur again. What do you guys think?