Quitters Never Win

It's difficult to see through the eyes of a former-KGB-agent- turned-leader-of-the- old-Soviet-States, but I'm willing to bet that pulling out of a conventional-arms treaty for the sake of "protesting" a perceived Western influence over a multinational consortium isn't going to bode well with ANYBODY (except certain pro-Soviet hardliners who lost power shortly after Gorbachev came to power, way back in the late-1980s).

But then again, Government-by-superstition seems to be all the rage these days, so maybe Vladimir Putin is onto something.

Author's Addendum:
I understand that this is ultimately a delayed response to the United States having pulled out of the ABM treaty over a decade ago. But the net result will be to send unintentional signals to nations that are under direct threat from Russian tactical weapons (including China, India, Korea, Iran, and much of Europe). But like the real Star Wars saga, the architects of this Star Wars saga just seem to adapt the back-story to fit the current market.

Author's Addendum #2:
In the 1980's the idea of Mutually Assured Destruction was a powerful deterrent against aggression among the Superpowers. But the dismantling of the Soviet Union (as presumably beneficial as it was supposed) actually served to destabilize the whole world. It is arguable that the immediate benefits of Glasnost and Perestroika will one day be undone by even more dangerous and volatile micro-states boasting equally powerful weapons.

Author's Addendum #3:
My memory is failing a bit. The United States quit the ABM Treaty in 1999 (not a decade ago, as I previously stated). It's an understandable mistake if you know my current condition.