[TheClintons-STILLAnti-American]

"Pulling old Saddam's tail feathers did not sit well with Putin."

I believe Putin is desperate to return his motherland to the glory days of being s feared "super power", and achieve the success that the USSR once deluded itself was within its grasp.

[Just mythoughts]

Oil sure seems the most likely tool, would not take much to regain that stature "IF" he could cripple US.