Reply #2: Some interesting parallels to the Cuban missile crisis.

[drm604]

The Soviets began building the missile bases in Cuba partly in response to us placing missiles in Turkey. (It was also possibly in response to the possibility of us invading Cuba.) This time it may be a response to our plans for a European missile defense system.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_Missile_Crisis

I do question if it will escalate to the level of the 60's crisis. For one thing we're not in the middle of a cold war.

I'm not sure what the lesson from history tells us about the current situation. Wikipedia says that after the crisis was resolved Khrushchev's request that the Jupiter and Thor missiles in Turkey be removed was ignored by the Kennedy administration and not pressed by the Soviet Union. However, I clearly remember my college history 101 professor stating unambiguously that we agreed to the removal of the missiles from Turkey as part of the agreement that ended the crisis.