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But the question is, is this impotent rage, or one that serves a purpose? By grabbing the Crimea, Russia only salvaged the Black Sea military status quo while gaining a new region in need of subsidies, but the USA gained the rest of Ukraine and potential NATO expansion along Russia1s western border, and a reason to impose sanctions on Russia (though if that was in a contingency plan, then European reluctance to go along wasn't properly gauged).

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Wed Mar 12th, 2014 at 05:31:09 PM EST
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Maybe the USA came out ahead, but the EU now owns a failed state, politically and economically.

A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government. And it doesn't have to be that way. — Paul Krugman
by Carrie (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Wed Mar 12th, 2014 at 05:38:33 PM EST
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Well that US -> Europe position is a constant, has been since WWII.
by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Wed Mar 12th, 2014 at 05:51:05 PM EST
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Putin is just doing what he has to do. Did the West expect him to give up all in Ukraine and Crimea, gas lines? It is up to the West to decide what's next.
by das monde on Wed Mar 12th, 2014 at 05:46:43 PM EST
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