Perhaps it's a case of "Damned if you do, damned if you don't." While a direct attack like that of last August simply had to be met head-on, Russia has to be careful not to unduly provoke the US, which can unleash powerful forces against Russia on many fronts -- economic, geopolitical, military, cultural -- picking up where it left off in 1991 with the destruction of the Soviet Union. Russians are not cowards, but realists, and appear to be pursuing a holding action, hoping to wait out the US, counting on its chickens coming home to roost. Meanwhile, as Roy urges, Russia can use the current breathing space it have gained from pushing back the NATO challenge to "lick its armed forces into shape" and prepare for the next unpleasant surprise.
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Eric Walberg writes for Al-Ahram Weekly http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/.
You can reach him at http://ericwalberg.com/
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