Gates Rebuffed By Moscow on Defense Plan

Robert Gates was in Moscow today trying to soften Russian resistance to American anti-missile bases in Poland and the Czech Republic, but so far the Russians aren't buying. The Defense Secretary is pushing proposals that would invite the Russians to share data, cooperate on research, and participate in joint testing of the system.

Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov rejected the proposals for cooperation, but Gates will continue to pursue them in meeting with Putin. The anti-missile bases near Russian borders, which the U.S. says are needed to protect against a nuclear threat from Iran, have been a major irritant in relations between the countries. (More Robert Gates stories.)