What about the Chinese in this? Russia initiated the incursion in the midst China’s moment of glory on the international stage, something the Middle Kingdom spent hundreds of millions of dollars, years of work, and national prestige into. Either Putin felt the lure of the Olympics would send his incursion to second class news – so he used the Chinese for cover, or he didn’t care that he made the Chinese loose face. Both ways, the Chinese must be pissed – big time. And payback can be a bitch.

BTW, I’m visiting Poland as I write this. In the last few days, Poles suddenly found a new appreciation for US missiles on their territory. I wonder why.

Poles, I don’t think, put too much value in NATO protecting them against Russia. After all, Poland had similar mutual protection pacts with France and England prior to WW2, and when Germany invaded Poland, what did those two countries do to help Poland? Nothing. So what’s better than an agreement? Having American soldiers running American military equipment on your land. It makes a trip-wire for American military involvement.