Russia's True Intentions for NATO

It seems that Russian-NATO relations are doomed to be strained.

Just after the alliance announced the resumption of full-scale contacts with Moscow after the Georgia war in August, we heard another more angry words coming from the Kremlin. This time around, the complaints focus on NATO-sponsored training exercises near Tbilisi that are planned from May 6 to June 1.

Although the bulk of the 19 countries participating in the training are made up of NATO members, including the United States, there are also some non-NATO participants, such as the United Arab Emirates, Kazakhstan and Armenia -- the last two of which are actually members of the pro-Russian Collective Security Treaty Organization. A combined total of 1,300 troops will take part in the crisis-response maneuvers, and no heavy weaponry will be involved.