//Putin is going to have to be contained...All these recent events will set back Russian-American relations for many years.//
What events? I do not see any major problems except some misunderstanding actively promoted by certain countries. Georgia is one of them. Some newspapers also became recently very agitated.
//Russia and the United States are natural allies//
Heartily agree.
The only thing that can indeed set back the relations is the rage to contain Putin. He is a democratically elected president and, judging from real facts rather than from the press, does not want to do anything to hurt the US. Many people do not like President Bush but respect the choice of the Americans and do not want to contain him. That's the way it should be.
What events? How about Russia selling arms and nuclear technology to Iran and God knows who else...