[CCIP]

Personally I don't see anything surprising about vying for spheres of influence, and I again repeat: Russia has as much right to one as any power of its size. It's simply re-asserting it.

There is some truth here but I think a lot of these links are far from as explicit as it suggests. I don't think we can argue that Russia is messing with things and often doing all of us a big dis-favour, but I don't think there's any room in Putin's plans for seriously destabilizing the world.

Which is why I call on Russophobia so much - there are many ways in which Russia could still be engaged (NOT appeased, mind you). A lot of what's being done to counter Russian resurgence is completely counterproductive because it excites the paranoia of the outside world that's both historically inherent and socio-politically inevitable in a nation that lived through such a traumatic 20th century.

By the way, I'd like to find some translation for numerous Russian articles that suggest that the US/NATO is manuevering around Russian interests and supporting various causes that undermine these. Based on what, to me, is much more compelling evidence than this. I think both sides are playing dirty. Russia is more sneaky and two-faced, the US is more butt-headedly idealistic (in a world which doesn't need that) and openly militant. I don't know which is worse, but if they don't wake up and do something to defuse things a bit I don't see a lot of good resulting from all this. But it's not merely up to Russia to stop this.