PJ Media

Intro lists Kim Zigfeld as the author. Article lists Laura Zigfeld as the author. Which is it? [Sorry for typo, now fixed. -- Ed.]

Putin knows there are no repercussions with dissing the West. The Europeans nead their natural gas and are averse to conflict (or even hard rhettoric) and the US already has a full plate.

If Putin plays his cards well he can sell lots of Russian equipment to Iran, keep Iran from a targetting or funding problems in Russia and in return that equipment will be destroyed and oil prices go through the roof as the Americans deal with the Iranians.

So Russia gets a win/win with no real fallout. It’s a clever game plan even if it’s dispicable.