Hey Mick, hope you are well! Putin is KGB. Brainwashed. Felt insulted and humiliated for the defeat of his beloved USSR and we bailed them out of economic collapse. Putin upset at US involvment in the Orange Revolution but of course, that was after he revealed his true hand of how he really felt and went on a little targeted killing rampage.
Looks like this thread was going strong yesterday with positive ,intelligent posts until the smell of red meat attracted the wolves and other predatory apologists. When will these people come to terms with the moral reality that violence itself is morally neutral....it is the intent and reason for it that gives it it's moral dimension. Russia is morally wrong because by it's own admission it is killing innocent people to "punish" , not in self defense. The breakaway provinces are legally Georgia and no number of Russian Passport holders in there gives Russia the MORAL RIGHT to do this. The have the power but not the right. And that is the definition of BARBARIAN.
One more thing, it isn't our fault that the Russian people missed the Renaissance because they were under the boot of the Tartars. They have the example of America and the West to model themselves on. If they refuse to change their behavior and adopt civilized politics and international behavior then they will be destroyed in a defensive war someday. If they don't destroy themselves first with abortion and booze.