[ProudFossil]

Your question: Why do weak nations like Russia provoke stronger ones like the United States? is wrong. It should be "Why do strong leaders like Putin provoke weaker ones like Obama?". The answer is obvious. Because they can with impunity.

[pieceofthepuzzle]

“Why do weak nations like Russia provoke stronger ones like the United States? is wrong. It should be “Why do strong leaders like Putin provoke weaker ones like Obama?”.”

It's also a matter of what circumstances we've gotten ourselves into as a nation. Prolonged recession, multiple long-term military interventions with little to show for it (after we mismanaged things during the Obama Presidency), political polarization at home, and a progressive decrease in respect abroad. It's hard to play hard ball when you have those things in the background.

[logi_cal869]

Spot on.