“A major fault with that reasoning is the assumption that Putin is just a nice guy who wants “respect.” “
Nobody paying attention thinks Putin is “nice guy”. He is a cold, calculating SOB raised to Machiavellian thinking.
That said, because of that very Machiavellian thinking, he understands what is happening in DC and other capitals today better than Obama and the Radical Socialist Ideologue minions he is surrounded by.
They wanted to “get back” at Putin for stopping Obama’s attack on Syria, and they chose the already existing urest in Ukraine to do it. They handed Putin a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and he took advantage of it.
The result of that is what we are seeing today. Ukraine in Chaos, and the Obama administration calling the shots, while the cronies scoop up the assets, like Biden’s son, and Kerry’s nephew, are doing.
The very same “Moderate” Syrian Rebels that Obama almost went to war to support, creating a “Caliphate” in Iraq, while Putin outmaneuvers “The Smartest Man Ever Born!” again, by providing real help to the Iraq government.
An “Eastern Bloc” is forming before our very eyes, instigated in large part by the weakness and indecision shown in DC.
A “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity that Russia takes advantage of every few years. LOL